Last week was a lazy week in the garden. It probably
should have been a busy week, given the quantity of weeds that need to
be pulled and crops that needed a second thinning. But alas, I spent
most of my time in the kitchen cooking up radishes from last week's
harvest (braised radishes are totally amazing!), making stock with
kitchen scraps, and turning the last of my 2011 frozen zucchini into
bread.
I don't have the funds at the moment for a drip
irrigation system in the garden, so I've been relying on the hose. I
know, I know. Leaves don't like to get wet, especially in the evening,
which is the only time I'm not at work. So a couple of weeks ago, my
husband decided to set up the sprinkler in the garden to save me some
time and at least get the watering schedule moved to the mornings. And
it has really works wonders! I know turn the sprinkler on a few days a
week at 5AM as I am getting ready for work, and then turn it off before
scooting out the door. It's a real time saver, and my plants seem to be
doing great. But it's also caused me to become a little bit of a lazy
gardener, as I haven't had to rush outside every night to make sure the
plants aren't wilting.
Anyway, on to Harvest Monday!
My first picking of Swiss Chard yielded approx. 60 leaves! I sauteed the stems in a little butter and honey and served those as a side with dinner. I blanched all of the leaves and had enough for 3 freezer bags. I love Swiss Chard in Italian Soups, so I'm looking
forward to stocking the freezer for winter use!
And then, of course, I picked several more small heads
of the Merveille lettuce (and my second-to-last Tennis Ball). My cuttings haven't even made a dent in the
patch, so I think I definitely planted too much!
My marjoram and thyme needed a good trim, so I cut them down and am drying out quite a few leaves for winter use.
I also decided to pull some dill while its leaves are still fresh and tender to dry for later use. This is about 15 stalks, and there is at least three times as much left in the garden waiting to go to seed.
And finally, I pulled a few green onions (not pictured).
If you're interested in garden
history, there is a terrific article in the New York Times about the
recreation of slavery-era African American gardens. Both Kathe
Hambrick-Jackson of the River Road African American Museum and Michael
Twitty, a culinary historian, are at the forefront of a movement to
educate people about the important role that heirloom plants played in
effecting survival and independence among African Americans. The
article profiles them, and others, who aspire to educate their
communities about these lost gardening traditions. 
