I love this time of year - when our garden is in its full glory. Actually, when I say our garden, I really should correct myself and say "John's Garden". He is the one who does 98% of the work. But to him it's not work. He is in his element when he is gardening. Each year he tills it, preps it, plants it (much from seeds that he has grown in his home-made greenhouses), tends it, weeds it, harvests it, and yes ladies it's true, he bottles it, freezes it, makes it into fruit leathers, juices, jams, etc, etc. Last week he made his first batch (of the season) of salsa, and several batches of fruit leather. He also did his first of many batches of grape/pear juice.
What's it like having a husband that's so domisticated, you ask? I'll tell you - it's sweet!
John is growing 6 different varieties of grapes, so we end up with several different colors of delicious grape juice.
The peaches will be ready to harvest this weekend.
Nubby squash
Broccoli
Four varieties of tomatoes this year. In addition to his salsa, he makes a mean tomato juice.
Eggplant
Raspberries galore. The sweetest you've ever tasted!
Sweet Dumpling winter squash
No garden is complete without a few gigantic zucchini!
Fuji apples
Barlett pears
Our cat Tache hunting her prey in the corn stalks.
Basil. Glorious basil!
Blueberries
Swiss chard
Every garden needs a spider the size of your fist!
Our little harvester Adam who loves to roam through the raspberries and eat them as quickly as he can pick them (if his mommy doesn't eat them all first!).
Mmmm. Can't you just taste them?
It doesn't get much better than this!
16 comments:
Oh wow! I had no idea you had that big of a garden with all those awesoem things in it. I wish I had looked at it when I was there. I saw Tom and Julie's garden and loved it and was so jealous of it! I wish I had seen yours. It's awesome that John is so into it, I love that. Those pictures are wonderful. Did you take them? Yes, I want some raspberries, and other things...like salsa.
mmmmmmmm that looks so delicious! I want those peaches, tomatoes, and raspberries, ooo my mouth is watering!
Trust me Kelly, you DO want John's salsa. It's nothing short of divine, heavenly,and just plain incredible! And yes, I did take those photos...with my new Canon 40D camera. Woo hoo! I. LOVE. IT.
I would LOVE to try some of John's salsa. Now it makes me want salsa. Good job on your photos with your new camera! That's awesome! This time I'm logged into the right blog. Glad you were smart enough to realize it was me before when I commented with my other blog.
Now you're making me miss this time of year even more, what with all the delicious garden items we have. You don't get much fresh stuff like that out here in China - salsa, raspberries, squash... but then, you've never tasted dumplings like the ones I get here!
Those pictures are delicious!!!
Afton told me she met your daughter on campus. Fun!
It was so crazy when I was there, trying to help everyone get settled in. The next time we come out will be more for pleasure and I would love to get together for lunch or something.
By the way, that picture of you and your husband outside the White House, you guys could be 18!!!
I am so jelous. My boys would be in heaven with all that fruit. Isaac especially can't get enough of the stuff. I'll have to talk to John when I get brave enough to actually get into this gardening thing one of these years. Right now I just have great aspirations, to have one someday. Oh and happy belated birthday John. It's one of the few I actually remeber every year. I guess that is one of the perks to having a birthday close to others, you actually remember a few other peoples birthdays besides you own.
Great garden pictures. Isn't it nice to have a helpful hubby!? I love mine :) Kelly has had John's salsa, it is the same salsa I sent her a couple of years ago and she loved it. Thanks to Heather for sharing her recipe with us, it is so delicious! I am glad you guys like it, I knew you would. I need to make more, my 16 pints will get us through March and that's about it!
I'm just impressed you guys have started on your salsa because I don't even know when I'm going to get to it this year!! Glad you like it! I tell you, raspberries are a mystery to me because I have tried everything I know and the plants grow but won't produce a thing! What a beautiful garden, and you will LOVE your new camera--they take such amazing pictures and you can get very creative, as you obviously know. Now if I could only get my boys to like garden produce...wishful thinking!!
I don't have a Canon--I went the other way with a Nikon, but still, they are all great cameras. I really need to take a class though, because I know there is so much more to do with them. And YES, I would love some raspberry starts. I'm planning on pulling all of ours out anyway because I'm so fed up with them--I gave them 5 years, isn't that long enough?!
Will you please convince my mom to start making grape juice! It sounds delicious! I guess we would also need to grow grapes...
Wow! That made me drool. I have dreams of a big garden some day, but I don't think it will happen in this backyard. I am glad my friend has some good connections to local farmers so at least I can get a few things. Maybe Brett can hang out at your house a little and catch some of the gardening spirit!
I need to come see you yard at this time of the year! I can't believe how glorious your garden is. Looks like John is a Master Gardner. I'm in the middle of pears and just waiting for the first frost to turn the apples and plums into sweetness!
That's probably the best home grown garden i've seen. How long did it take to get it that mature?
Did John miss his calling in life?...:-D
It almost makes me want to grow something...almost! I'm afraid the only greenthumb I have is for flowers; but boy do I have a pretty yard.
I am so jealous!!!
yes thats the lie! I was a V athlete in soccer and basketball. It was a crazy night! I love the Office!!!
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