MMmmmmm - I didn't know you could grow Okra in WI. I thought it needed more heat than we usually get.

Your meal sound so much like something my South Carolina Grandmother would have fixed up. She fried that okra until it was burnt - she liked it "a little crispy".

I love being able to do my "shopping" out in the garden!!

Okra does really well here. Too well some years, lol I tended to plant more then I could use, but this year I only have a short row.

In the mail today -- a new variety (to me) of garlic to try...

Ajo Roja, a creole-type garlic that is supposed to store for up to 12 months; this came from Forever Yong Farms, and the bulbs are humongous!


Picked a pile of Peperoncino peppers for pickling

Ajo Rojo is actually one of the smaller Creoles (and most Creoles will run smaller than the Softnecks and Artichokes) but it makes up for that with great pungency and flavor. Though the wrapper will be pale white, the cloves will be a gorgeous red to crimson color. It keeps for 12 months in the proper environment.

We grow Ajo Rojo as well. I think you'll like it.

That's good info, Ken -- I couldn't believe how large these bulbs were when I opened the package, not only compared to what I've grown but also to the garlic I see in the grocery store. I think this probably shows that it just doesn't grow as large up here... or possibly that I just haven't learned HOW to grow it that big yet!

All the "gourmet" garlics will be larger than anything you see in the grocery stores. Don't count the Elephant Garlic because it is not even a garlic. Most of the grocery store garlic used to come from California, from an area around Gilroy, CA. Now most of it comes from China. Some varieties of softneck and hardneck will have large bulbs, but certainly not every bulb you harvest will be large. The Creoles just run a bit smaller but if you harvest 10 bulbs of a particular Creole variety, perhaps 2-3 bulbs will be larger than the rest. Typically, when you plant cloves from large bulbs, and those cloves are larger than average, the harvested bulbs from those cloves will tend to run larger.

"Typically, when you plant cloves from large bulbs, and those cloves are larger than average, the harvested bulbs from those cloves will tend to run larger."

Yes, I need to do a better job of selecting larger cloves to plant ! I tend to use up my nicest bulbs first, so by the time I plant the garlic I'm getting into smaller ones already... this year I'll pick out the best bulbs for replanting and set them aside.

Tell me about it. I always plan to keep enough of what I grow, and the largest bulbs, to replant in October. We use so much of this gourmet garlic throughout the year, that I always purchase my "planting" garlic in September. This will be the first year that I have actually been able to do so. Even then, I don't know that I will have enough to plant and may end up purchasing garlic to plant. Forever Yong Farms is a good grower, so you got some quality bulbs.

We always pull our seed garlic before anything, lest we forget!

We picked all the tomatoes today and then pulled the plants and puulled up the weed barrier. The bag catcher to the mower wouldn't stay attached so DH has to make some adjustments, so no mowing today. Now it will have to wait until Monday.

I can't seem to get more than one job a day accomplished because of the heat. Oh, I did pick a large bouquet of zinnias to take to a friend's house this weekend.

I'll be so glad when the entire garden is put to rest this fall.

Arlene, too bad your tomatoes are done. Mine are still going though have slowed down. Still I have a lot of tomatoes still to ripen on the plants. I usually get tomatoes thru September.

And Labor Day is so early this year but I don't feel that summer is over. Even my Zucchini are still going gangbusters.

Arlen, I know you bought Steakhouse Hybrid from Burpee. So did I. But that one (only one plant) is one of the tomatoes are are done for the season. I have others done for but those would be those extra early types I tried this spring.

Okay, so my point (I knew I had one ) is that I also tried the Porterhouse hybred from Burpee. Even bigger tomatoes from me than Steakhouse and the plant is going strong, big and green and loaded with green and semi green tomatoes.

I am so tired of tomatoes though! Can't even give them away anymore. But our Steakhouse were one of the ones for us still going strong. I actually cut some tips and potted them up to try and grow in the greenhouse this winter. We'll see.

I haven't tried Porterhouse. I'll have to check it out but I'm wondering if it is only offered as a plant and not seeds? I'll look it up. The Steakhouse were so meaty and we loved the flavor.

So all I have still growing are my peppers, which are coming out next week, and some butter peas I grew for a friend. They are such a mess. She told me bush but they are vines and I planted three rows together. We tried to stake them after the fact and did some propping up today as well. I really don't see many peas on the vines but they are loaded with buds. So I'm going to have them come and look at them and see if they still want to wait awhile. Me, I'd yank them.

I think after four years of doing market gardening and babysitting I am just burned out!

>> I think after four years of doing market gardening and babysitting I am just burned out!

I hope winter helps!

When I realized the size of your garden, I thought it would take a team of young helpers to maintain it, and not just one or two of them!

I could have really used some helpers. Grandkids are too young yet so it was DH and myself. DH, pushing 81 has to take frequent breaks and tires easily. But he was a huge help this summer. It is just too big for one person to try and do. Maybe if I specialized in something instead of trying to grow everything. Like just cut flowers, garlic, honey and tomatoes.

But I am really looking forward to spending more time at my house and trying to make some flower beds here that I can incorporate veggies in. The soil here is a disaster so it's going to take a few years building it up. We'll do the largest share of the FAMILY garden at the farm still but I am going to try and keep it small. Right now, 40 rows. Next year, max of 10. And if we still have a vole/rat problem, raised beds with rat wire submerged for root veggies. And a BB gun.

Oh Arlene. You really do deserve a break.

Was just picking tomatoes and realized I was wrong, there are still afew tomatoes coming on Steakhouse so it is not totally done for. But Porterhouse is loaded, just loaded with fruit. It did start to ripen later that Steakhouse but since they are both Beeksteak types I don't know why that is so.

I only bought one plant of each. But Burpee has those things they sell for mix N match plants. I also got one of something called Razzel Dazzel and that was simply aweful! So next year I think I might just get one steakhouse and two porterhouse. We will see.

Arlene, no wonder you are feeling burned out!!! For myself, though, I can only say "summer better NOT be over" -- I feel like it's only just (sort of) started here... And yes, our first frost is probably right around the corner... I am seriously thinking about buying some tomatoes down in Wisconsin so I can at least make some salsa and sauce -- then if I get enough of my own ripe tomatoes I'll make MORE salsa and sauce, and tomato juice, and canned tomatoes!

I did can 4 pints of my Peperoncino peppers today though... and, although I've told DH numerous times, do NOT touch the jars -- the last jar still hadn't "popped" so he "just barely touched it" !!!! I swear sometimes I'm living with a 6 year-old. On the other hand, not really a life-changing moment... just means we have to put it in the fridge and eat those peppers sooner!

Used up the last of my home grown cucumbers tonight for a cucumber and tomato salad. Had those last two sitting in the fridge from when I pulled all my cucumber vines.

Well, Sandy if you make it to Wisconsin, I should have some tomatoes to spare. I've been picking them by the pail full. I still have a lot of canning to do, but I should have some to spare. I'm barely in the state of Wis. just North of the Ill. Border about 8 miles. I have 27 plants! Yah, I'm crazy. I might even give you my personal salsa recipe. One I created.