Did you miss it? You must have blinked. Yes, well. What can I say? This it IT. My total harvest of squash for 2012 - one solitary tiny Patty Pan.
It's not even a good specimen of the type.
It's a good job I have had lots of Runner Beans. This lot may well be the final batch for the year. With one or two exceptions they are all fairly small, because I picked them early to avoid losing them to the weather, which has turned a lot colder now. We had snow for the first time on Saturday, and severe frosts are to be expected...
I also picked the last one or two pods from the "Cobra" climbing French Beans. They are not only very small but also curled up as if trying to keep warm!
We have been eating a fair bit of Endive recently, since all the ones I started blanching are maturing now.
Of course we only eat the really nice bit in the centre and discard the tough old green bits from the outside!
Some people think that Endive is bitter, but believe you me, the blanched centre is not. If you are at all unsure, why not just try some with a sweet (maybe honey-based) salad dressing? We like ours with creamy blue cheese dressing, made up quite runny so that it coats all the finely dissected Endive leaves. The perfect accompaniment to some nice Lamb cutlets!
I did also pick some more Cavolo Nero this week, or to be exact, Emma did - as part of her "wages" for helping me build the new raised bed. I have no evidence of this, so here's a generic photo of Cavolo Nero instead!
I'm entering this for Harvest Monday on Daphne's Dandelions, so why not join me in looking at what everyone else harvested this week...
Those runner beans really overwhelm that tiny squash. It sort of shows what gardening is like. There are always winners and losers in the garden. Your beans this year have been phenomenal.
ReplyDeleteSnow in the deep south - we haven't had any here up north - well not in our bit of up north although it has been cold and frosty. We saw some wet snow when we ventured towards Newcastle at the weekend. Wet snow in York too.
ReplyDeleteAs for the squash it's more than we have managed this year.
Now don't go eating all that squash at once. I only did marginally better than you. Have you grown it before and will you grow it again next year? I think it could be quite prolific with better weather. It was my first year growing patty pan squash, but I'll definitely give it another go next year as, for once, all the family enjoyed it. Your beans have done really well. Mine started producing much later than yours but finished quite a while ago. Certainly not a good bean year for me. We had a thin layer of snow on Saturday. Thank goodness it didn't hang around.
ReplyDeleteAt least you do post your failures Mark not that you get that many
ReplyDeleteDavid; I believe that honesty is the best policy. There's no point in pretending that gardening is easy or 100% certain to be successful! Many beginners are given totally the wrong impression by over-optimistic "celebrities", and it puts them off for ever.
DeleteIt is like that sometimes, well, really more often than I would like. The edamame beans were a dismal failure this year, just a waste of garden space. And the aphids and cabbage worms are having their way with my kale. A good gardener must have a sense of humor, how else would we survive nonproductive plants and depredating critters and lousy weather... Those beans look like they made all you efforts worthwhile though. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteI have never had any luck growing squashes over here in South Florida. I keep trying every year but the squash bugs home in on them everytime and wipe out the whole lot.
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn; I love your new raised beds! Can you please tell me what is the plant on which you photographed those Monarchs? (I am unable to comment on your blog, BTW).
DeleteHey Mark, not sure why you are not able to comment on my blog, whereas you have done so before - I will have to check my settings. I appreciate the warning comment, I would have never have known otherwise.
DeleteThe Monarch plant is Milkweed and the everything-you-need-to know about it can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_curassavica. To be quite honest with you I don't know of an equivalent in the U.K.
BTW: I have caught the bug as in: "my raised beds are taking over my life and my garden." :)
It's ashame your squash didn't work out quite right, but the rest of your reaping looks absolutely fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to chuck those beans in with some better and white pepper and just give them a toss, amazing.
love the beans and one is better than none "-)
ReplyDeleteWell if you're only going to get one of something its probably better its patty pan squash than something that's actually nice to eat...he, he, he. My squash experience is limited to very watery ones at dinner in college so perhaps I am wrong and home grown ones are better????
ReplyDeleteLiz; with home-grown ones you have control over how long you cook them. Over-cooked squashes (especially courgettes, when boiled!) are mushy and 'orrible, but when cooked "sensitively" they are lovely. Patty Pan squash, sliced thinly then briefly fried in butter and thyme...?
DeleteYou did have a great year for beans! The endive looks delicious!
ReplyDeletethat must be the most adorable patty pan I've seen! Your harvest looks amazing, I just wish I had such green fingers. Or stayed near someone with such green fingers.
ReplyDelete