The Modern Victory Garden

Balancing all the parts of my life is always a bit of a challenge, but this week is one of those where I feel like I am running flat out from the moment I register the alarm clock is going off until I put my head down on the pillow again much later that night.   It’s a tough week because I was gone last weekend on a trip to see my mom, and so there are chores to do that did not get done while I was away.   In addition, we are in the process of selling my daughter’s car and attending to other matters in preparation for her leaving home and heading to the east coast.   The move out date is well in advance of actually starting school because she will be spending a month enjoying summer vacation at the home of a good friend before moving into her dorm and beginning college life.   It’s all good - but there is lots to get taken care of before she goes.   My time blogging recently has been severely abbreviated as a result.   There is a tremendous amount actually going on in the garden at the moment, but I have not been taking the time to chronicle a lot of it like I normally do, because of time constraints.   It should calm down soon and I look forward to doing some catch up posts to share with all of you how much things are progressing in the garden of late.                            

In general the garden is in an overlap phase at the moment.   Lots of spring crops putting out their last big push and summer crops just starting to come on line.   In addition to the pea patch harvest, which was completed on Sunday, I harvested a sizeable amount of broccoli and another big round of lettuces this week.   The broccoli is Premium Crop and it is the first time I have grown this variety.   I am favorably impressed with the large central heads and the prolific amount of side shoots.   We have been enjoying broccoli off and on for a while now, but on Monday I harvested a sizable amount of it and froze it for future use.         

I like to cut it into florets and pieces, blanch it for 2 minutes in boiling water, immerse in ice water to stop the cooking process, and then freeze it in a single layer on a foil lined tray before finally packaging it up in a gallon zip lock freezer bag for future use.   The tray freezing step helps to keep the pieces separated so that I can scoop out from the bag only what I need instead of encountering a solid frozen rock of produce.                                 

The lettuce patch growing under the cucumber trellis has been going wild too.   Last night I had to do a hard harvest of the entire patch to ensure I got the lettuces at their prime and to encourage the plant to produce new young growth.   I just about filled up the big laundry tub again with lettuces.              

The lettuce is remaining sweet and crisp.   I soaked and rinsed the lettuce in a sink full of cold water and then spun dry them in my salad spinner.   The washed and dry leaves were then placed in bags lined with a paper towel.   Kept one full bag for our own use and I will be taking two other bags in to work today to share with two co-workers.                                

I should be able to do a good update this coming weekend and cover a lot of the other things that are going on in the garden.   Until then, I hope you are having a good week and enjoying some time in your gardens too.         

Laura

kitsapfreedomgardener