The Long View

Thought I would put in a photo of most of the vegetable garden, it's so big, I can't quite get it all in one shot. But it's just been looking so lush and fruitful lately I had to share. Closest is the bean trellis with turkey craws climbing to the heavens, then a big row of purple hull peas, their double pods curling up above the plants, beyond them is squash. David is in the eggplants, cukes behind him on another trellis, bush beans behind them. Tomatoes and peppers to the left, asparagus as a back drop. There is another big bed beyond the asparagus that currently has winter squash.

David is our one man pest control unit, he patrols daily, mashing flea beetles on the eggplants, searching for hornworms and fruit worms on the tomatoes. He spent an entire morning a few weeks ago performing surgery on the squash to remove the vine borers, more than 50 got dug out! but it seems to have revived the plants, they are still perking along, still making squash.

Here is one of our new varieties for this year, eight ball. It's the ultimate stuffing squash. I've also been making monster batches of ratatouille, the perfect thing to preserve squash, eggplant and tomatoes, a little onion, garlic and basil with lots of olive oil round out this delicious concoction that freezes great and later can dress pasta or fill a lasagna. I like to eat it room temp next to a slice of cold roast lamb or beef.