Hold On Summer – I’m Not Done Yet

Yes, that’s a little cob of corn.

But its OUR little cob of corn. We grew it (cornsilk and everything) and picked it and ate it right from the garden. It was sweet and delicious. We weren’t sure the area had enough sun, but our friend Farmer Tom tells us our crop just needed more water and better drainage. We’ll get ‘em next time.

Now 3 months in the ground with my experimental Mother’s Day garden, we’ve eaten dozens of kale salads, lots of crunchy wax-free cucumbers, a few heirloom tomatoes, a single, lovely zucchini, and a handful of peppers.

Here’s a true reflection of my farming ego and probably pretty good insight into my celebrate-the-triumphs/learn-from-the-missteps brand of optimism:

I think our corn is perfect for kid hands. It is a wonderful, albeit mildly deformed, first crop of corn, miraculously grown in six inches of soil atop some cement (oops) in partial sun, against the natural predictions of my friend’s parents from the Midwest and our new Harvard-trained landscape designer.  And in case you are wondering, corn is SO much better for you than donuts.

The meant-to-be full-size onions that popped from the ground like baby shallots? Perfect size for cooking. I never use my Vidalia leftovers anyway.

As for the broccoli that went to seed and flowered as soon as the first floret popped out (soil too hot), that’s just bad luck – it happened to the most seasoned Connecticut gardeners’ this year. At least I only had two plants; my neighbor’s dad lost 48 broccoli plants.

I’m sure the tomatoes will eventually redden, though it they may need to be counter-ripened, because the chipmunks and rabbits are having their way with them.

And despite finding an odd albino (later mustard yellow) cucumber as often as a good green one (still unsure if I actually am growing a yellow variety of cucumbers actually called “Blonde”), I was so proud of the cucumber I picked over the weekend that I measured it with a tape measure. Eleven inches long (pictures too obscene too share).

Eggplants – dainty but perfect.  They’ve been delicious on the grill (day 1) and then the next day, in a salad with one of our (few) red and yellow heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.

And we’ve got melons. Softball size melons! If all goes well, we should have a dozen cantaloupe in a week or two. Who needs broccoli and onions when you’ve got cantaloupe?

Our farm to table dinner last night… cuke and avocado salad, our odd but delicious corn, and fusilli with roasted eggplant and tomato (no onion).

Followed by an even more delicious outdoor movie night. My little one let me share his chair after I took this picture.

How are you savoring your last little bits of summer?