Vegetable Gardening

This year I decided to try a little something different for our vegetable garden.  I have been gardening with only organic fertilizer for a few years, but realized after watching Food Inc last summer that the seeds I was using more than likely were genetically modified (GMO).  I searched around and found Seeds of Change which offered organic and open pollinated seeds.  I was excited to find old varieties that I remembered planting with my Granduncle, who first instilled a love of gardening and eating vegetables into me when I was a young grade school age girl.  I wanted to plant the same type of seeds that I did back in the 1960s!  Yes, there would be more chance of pests and disease, but I would rather risk it and fight it naturally than put things that don't belong into my food.

I first planted sugar snap peas and shell peas.  I have never grown peas as an adult, but did help my Granduncle plant and harvest them as a child.  The sugar snap peas did really well.  I had planted them first and it was during a period where we had cool but nice weather.   We will certainly plant them again!  I have left a few on the vine so I can save the seed for next year.

Sugar Snap Peas

The shell peas were planted slightly later and didn't take off as well as our weather suddenly changed to being a very wet and dark spring and summer.  I had to replant them when we returned from vacation in May but it was getting a bit late for them.  We did get some shelling peas, but probably only about 50% due to mold and bugs, enough to use for meals but not enough extra to preserve.  But I feel my first attempt at peas was a success and look forward to next year!

the last harvest of the shelling peas and the first harvest of green beans.

I also planted kale, broccoli, and pole green beans.  Wow, I was not expecting them to take off as well as they did!  We have been overrun with kale, and the broccoli was ready to pick while we were on vacation - not good timing!  We did get broccoli though, just could have had MORE for preserving!!!  And the green beans did great and are still going strong!!!  This has been a great learning experience!  I was mainly worried about the green beans.  I can handle not having anything in the garden except I have to have fresh green beans!  LOVE them!!!

Our grape vine is also going crazy and we are looking forward to eating more white grapes soon!  Maybe one day we'll learn how to turn it into wine!!!  ;-)

We are also growing cucumber for the first time ever. Dave built a ramp for it and we have little tiny cukes. Sure hope they get to full size before they rot in our rainy weather this year!

The rest of the garden contains perenniels of herbs, strawberries, and a small section of asparagus. The largest of our asparagus garden is in another part of our yard.

We also have  yummy blackberries in another part of our yard which are at their peak picking now.  We don't have a fence around the blackberries to protect them, as there are more than enough for the deer and for us, plus I have been putting them into the freezer as well.

Blackberries in another part of our yard. Pic taken in July

Our vegetable garden

As you can see we have a six foot tall fence around our garden.  That is because of the deer and other wildlife that wander through our property and would like to either eat our garden or use our garden as their litter box.  :P  We also have a couple Scarecrow Motion-Activated Sprinklers to help keep them away from the garden and they really do work well! If you have similar problems with wildlife or neighborhood cats wandering onto your property where you don't want them, I highly recommend these sprinklers!

All in all, I feel satisfied with how the garden turned out this year. Anytime I can harvest anything, especially during a summer which is unusually cool and wet I am happy! :)

Now.... to find my blankets and parkas for winter. AccuWeather has released their initial Winter 2010-2011 forecast for the United States.  After seeing their predictions for the Pacific Northwest, I'm ready to move to the SouthWest NOW! :-)

Is anyone else growing a garden?  Would love to hear about it!  :-)