Blackdog Lin
9-16-12, 9:13pm
So even in spite of the severe drought we had this summer, our garden (selectively) did better than it has in years. Our only explanation for this was the two loads of composted manure/dirt DH had hauled in in early spring to top off our sadly sinking garden, originally plotted and plowed circa 1994. We did have to do some watering of course.
What selectively did well with this year's garden was green beans (I never want to deal with another green bean again!), tomatoes (yeah!), and okra, of all things. We pressure-canned enough green beans for the next two years, and one can never have enough canned tomatoes or salsa (I use a lot in our household cooking), but once one gets tired of eating okra.....what do you do?
Froze 6 months worth (our experience with frozen okra is that 6 months is about as long as it will be good), and then, since I had weeded the stuff and taken care of the stuff and picked the stuff in 100-degree weather, and I was picking a 5-gallon bucket every thrid day.....I went to the local grocery store and made arrangements for them to sell my okra. It turned out to be surprisingly simple (and our small town hasn't had a farmer's market in years, so that was out). I had my heavy picking for only about 3 weeks.
I went in yesterday to settle up. Ready? I made.....fourteen dollars and 50 cents! Yep, $14.50. I am now a gardening entrepeneur.
Seriously, I am thinking about trying to do this for real next year. My pickings from my 2 rows of okra were just too skimpy for the long haul. With 4 or 5 rows, if it does well, I could really pick enough to supply the grocery store twice a week for many more weeks. Maybe I could grow green beans too for sale.....it didn't occur to me during my "green bean season" this year, I was only focused on putting them up for our pantry.....
Anyway, it's both something for me to think about for next year, and something to laugh about for this year. $14.50 for all that sweating and fretting.....
What selectively did well with this year's garden was green beans (I never want to deal with another green bean again!), tomatoes (yeah!), and okra, of all things. We pressure-canned enough green beans for the next two years, and one can never have enough canned tomatoes or salsa (I use a lot in our household cooking), but once one gets tired of eating okra.....what do you do?
Froze 6 months worth (our experience with frozen okra is that 6 months is about as long as it will be good), and then, since I had weeded the stuff and taken care of the stuff and picked the stuff in 100-degree weather, and I was picking a 5-gallon bucket every thrid day.....I went to the local grocery store and made arrangements for them to sell my okra. It turned out to be surprisingly simple (and our small town hasn't had a farmer's market in years, so that was out). I had my heavy picking for only about 3 weeks.
I went in yesterday to settle up. Ready? I made.....fourteen dollars and 50 cents! Yep, $14.50. I am now a gardening entrepeneur.
Seriously, I am thinking about trying to do this for real next year. My pickings from my 2 rows of okra were just too skimpy for the long haul. With 4 or 5 rows, if it does well, I could really pick enough to supply the grocery store twice a week for many more weeks. Maybe I could grow green beans too for sale.....it didn't occur to me during my "green bean season" this year, I was only focused on putting them up for our pantry.....
Anyway, it's both something for me to think about for next year, and something to laugh about for this year. $14.50 for all that sweating and fretting.....