![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/IMAG0611.jpg\" "\\"IMAG0611\\"")
<\/a>carrots, too. \u00a0The last of the onion and garlic crop out of the ground drying in the sun. \u00a0Most of the crop is on its second week in the shed for further drying.<\/p>\nOur several tomato plants have both blossoms and fruit. \u00a0Two of the heirlooms have large beefy tomatoes, Brandywine and Cherokee Purple. \u00a0We also have cherry and roma varieties. \u00a0All have fruit and blossoms, presaging a bumper year. \u00a0We planned for this because our pantry stock of tomato based canned goods has almost reached depletion.<\/p>\n
I did buy, for the first time, this year two non-heirloom varieties from Gurney’s. \u00a0A brix test will tell the difference, if any, in nutrient value. \u00a0Of course, the heirloom is not a highbred, so the seeds will breed true, meaning growing them retains and preserves the genetic diversity in our vegetable crops. \u00a0That’s a valuable tradition to support. \u00a0I prefer heirlooms, but didn’t want to be in a purist rut.<\/p>\n
It also looks like a good year for peppers with several large peppers already on the plants. The leeks, our remaining allium crop, have begun to fatten. \u00a0Which reminds me, I haven’t mounded them yet. \u00a0Oops. \u00a0Gotta get on that. \u00a0It creates longer white sections on the stalk and white is usable, green not.<\/p>\n Our pear crop has been harvested as has been most of the cherries. \u00a0The plums fall to the ground, not quite ripe and I have yet to find a ripe one on the tree. \u00a0Not sure what to do next with them. \u00a0Our quince with its first fruit has not yet begun to ripen. \u00a0The currants are ripe and we may not harvest them this year. \u00a0The apples grow inside their plastic ziploc bags though right now the apples I couldn’t reach to bag look just fine, too. \u00a0They’re a much later harvest.<\/p>\n I did find one raspberry on our canes in the vegetable garden but this is very early for them. \u00a0We have golden and red all in one patch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summer \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Moon of the First Harvest Rain last night. \u00a0A morning walk through the garden shows many beets ready to harvest, carrots, too. \u00a0The last of … Continue reading Garden Diary: July 25, 2013<\/span> <\/a>The eggplants have more fruit coming, too. \u00a0The cucumbers have begun to climb the bamboo, have blossoms, but no fruit so far.<\/p>\n