Harvest Monday-June 18

  Happily, we’ve reached that time of the season when it’s not “what can I find to harvest?” but “what do I want to harvest?”  Of course, picking crops at their peak determines much of what comes to the kitchen.  Today’s harvest began with the peas, which definitely needed to be picked.  In fact, the Progress #9 vines were clipped off to make room for another planting of “Patterson” onions.  The two big heads of “Blue Wind” broccoli needed harvesting, too, before they began to spread open or burst into flower.  They”ll be going into the freezer because we’ve eaten more than enough broccoli recently.  Not so with the very first head of cauliflower “Majestic” or the 2 1/2 lbs. of “Royal Burgundy” which will be a nice treat, the first beans of the season if you don’t count the favas.  And that’s the first cucumber, a “Parisian.”  Even though we got a late start planting, the beans and cucumber are a week earlier than last year!

A recipe for “Balsamic-Glazed” zucchini caught my attention, so I harvested a “Cashflow” and a “Clarimore” so we can give it a try.  We’ve already had some of both varieties, with lots more in our future so I’m already looking for new ways to prepare summer squash.  That little bouquet is the last of the “French Breakfast” radishes until autumn.  Tomorrow the snow peas will need to be picked again, and there are “Katarina” cabbages, the last of the “Baker” spinach, and garlic scapes to harvest.  This heat wave is changing the lettuces quickly and there are several varieties that need to be harvested or they will end up in the compost pile, which would be a shame.  “Intred,” “Outredgeous,” and “Alkindus” are all beautiful right now, but in 90+ temps they won’t be for long.

That’s Harvest Monday from my potager in central Indiana.  If you’d like to read lots more harvest reports, click on Our Happy Acres who hosts this meme.