Summer Goes On

Today I canned the last batch of tomatoes for this year. Six quarts and one pint.
That brings the total to 21 1/2 quarts.

Kansas melon.

Last year the total was 25 quarts, but since we still have half a dozen of those quarts left, I am calling it good. It has been a great year for tomatoes for me. The Amish Paste tomatoes will mostly be taken down, maybe I will leave one for tomatoes to cook with. And I will take a few of the green ones to make pickled green tomatoes. More on that in a future post.
The slicing tomatoes will stay up until they give notice that they will quit.

And the summer goes on...
We've had a little rain the past three days. Let me emphasize the word "little." However, I am quite grateful for what we got, especially since the temperature has gone down to more normal levels. Still hot, but not as...

And the summer goes on...

Kansas melon, mmm-mmm-mmmm.

Yesterday I picked the first ripe Kansas melons, lovely little cantaloupes with a sweet fragrance and wonderful flavor. The vines don't have as many melons as the Prescott fond Blanc, but the flavor is just as good. So this variety will definitely be planted again.

Pickles fermenting in a quart jar,
with a festive display of Thai chiles
scattered in front.

After finishing the tomato canning today, I started a jar of fermented cucumber pickles. Last year, I had great success with the whey fermentation method with the cabbage, so I am trying cucumber pickles this year.

With the highs down to the low to mid 90s (and even some 80s), as is in the forecast for the coming week, I may now put the brussels sprouts plants in the ground and even scatter some kale seed in the garden in a week or so. And I will feel a little more confident about starting a few more lettuces for fall and winter.

I am now reading "The Winter Harvest Handbook," by Eliot Coleman, hoping to find inspiration to grow and harvest more fresh vegetables this winter.

And the summer goes on...