The weather in August has tried to make up for the earlier part of the year. In Wisconsin, the wettest months are usually April, May, and June. This year, August has been the wettest month thus far. Although it is still hot, the rain has helped to push the garden along to the finish line.
The early part of August produced lots of pole beans, cucumbers, and summer squash. We easily have three cases of canned bread, and butter, dill, fermented, and refrigerator pickles. We have been eating the beans, but pressure-canned three pints of beans recently just to clear some out. My favorite plant has been the two patty pan squash plants. One of the few plants to survive the frost, they have been steadily producing perfect-sized squash with few seeds. Maggie has been dehydrating squash slices all month.
The end of August has been all about tomatoes. Sadly, our attempt to use the "Florida Weave" method of corralling tomato plants failed, as the jute string broke under the weight of the plants. Other cages have tipped over. This has placed a lot of tomatoes near the ground, where they are getting eaten by critters. Maggie has been picking them early and letting them ripen on the counter, which has helped limit losses. We have produced a mix of canned tomato sauce, salsa, and dried tomato slices. Our small plot of sweet corn yielded a few ears, which we ate and shaved kernels for freezing.
With the rain, September looks to be a good last month for the garden. The bush beans in the garlic bed are in bloom and should start to yield in a couple of weeks. Those beans will likely end up in the pressure canner. The winter squash continue their rampage through the garden, with pumpkins turning orange in anticipation of Halloween. The rain has also been a boost to our new asparagus bed, which is looking great. The moisture should also help the orchard prepare itself for winter. Cooler days are on the way, so it is time to make hay while the sun is shining.
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