June One

Today I harvested the garlic scapes. A brief search online for "best way to use scapes" resulted in lots of suggestions for pesto. So, pesto it is. The scapes ended up being more fibrous than I thought they would be and I had to switch out blending mechanisms a few times. Maybe I need to harvest less stem next time or maybe younger.

 They are pretty neat curly-ques.

Blended with olive oil, a little salt and water. 

Into my pesto trays for freezing.

I haven't grow Rattail Radish since living in my last house over 13 years ago. I'm not a huge fan of radishes, but I remember these being alright. Verdict: they still aren't my favorite food in the world, but maybe pickling would make them better. These are fridge pickles- white vinegar, water, salt, 1 chili, 1 garlic and rattail radishes. Just stuff them in the fridge. No processing. 

This was the first big harvest of peas. When they start to come in I just eat them in the garden, but at this point I'd stuff myself. Here are 2 lbs of snap peas & snow peas. I LOVE snap peas, but if I could have one complaint- this is one food that I can't preserve. I don't like them any way but fresh and then I pig out until I don't want any more and there are usual some left. I need to share. 

The serviceberries (Amelanchier canadensis- native to the NE, E and SE US) are coming to fruition. Kiddo and I harvest 1.5 quarts. I made jam following a recipe online: 4 cups smashed berries, juice from 1/2 lemon, 2 cups sugar (too much) and I didn't have lemon rind so I used orange, which was a nice added flavor. Cook for about 15 minutes, boiling & stirring constantly and then hot water bath for 10 minutes. This is my first time not using pectin and the product isn't completely thickened. These berries are probably a little on the less than fully ripe side, but the darker ones don't hang around long. Robins are big fans. 

 

Mashed & Canned.

                       
The frog pond isn't very froggy this year. We haven't had a lot of rain and we had a very delayed spring. I am worried about the impact on the frog/amphibian population this year.

 New board across the pond-that-isn't so that

I can plant on the other side. 

 Gray Sedge or Burhead- Carex grayii

 Two kinds of Hibiscus- H. lasiocarpus (above) 

and H. laevis (below).

The Water Irises should be happier this year with 

the removal of the pear tree. 

This is how dry the pond is. It has had standing water in it

one time this spring. Silver lining= fewer mosquitoes?

Pickerel weed. Just bought this spring

from Effinger's

Soft Rush- Juncus effusus

Newly planted & raised from seed this winter/spring

Swamp Milkweed- Asclepias incarnata

Thalia- most of it is either delayed or didn't make the

hard winter. It seems what is coming up is around the perimeter.

In bloom:

Meadow Rue- Thalictrum dasycarpum

Garden Heliotrope or Valerian. Valeriana officinalis

Virginia Sweetspire- Itea virginica

 

The "Veg" Garden:
Which is probably more fruit than veg when you think about it. I should start calling it the fruit garden.

 Onions & Chives in bloom. 

Potatoes in the row behind them.

Squashes under the row cover.

 Left row: Dutch Yellow Shallots, Carrots, Basil and more

Row #2: also seen in above photo

Smokey and the Tomato tepee. 

We had about 1/3 inch rain on Monday and the maters

took off. Had to rewind up with twine this morning and bring in more.

Smokey in the asparagus bed.

Still needs to be painted & screwed together.

Tomatoes & Marigolds

Happy June One.