First Harvest

 Well, our cheeky little cherub is trying to keep it a secret but we can't wait to share about our very first harvest at Serendipity Creek. Summer seems to have flown by and Autumn is here in all her glory as we begin to harvest the first fruits of the season. Dave and I are having so much fun trying to decide what recipes we will use.

 The Habanero Pepper's are without a doubt Dave's favourite! So far we only have these two little gems, but Dave isn't complaining. I've saved the seeds so that I can grow them in pots ready for next season. We did have a Jalapeno plant, however, it seems to have vanished. I suspect that our little cherub knows what happened to it but he won't tell us.

 This year was my very first attempt at growing tomatoes. I don't know why I was hesitant before but these are a doddle to grow and so forgiving. You really don't have to do too much with them. I planted two varieties of heirloom tomatoes this year, one Victoria White (above) and two Lemon Boy's. We'll have a pretty decent harvest from just the three plants. I'm looking forward to making roasted tomatoes and some tomatoe basil soup.

 Our Purple Basil, which we planted next to the tomatoes really took off this year. I love the licorice taste and smell of the leaves. Dave & I have been cooking with the basil all summer but our favourite recipe to make is pesto. I should point our that Basil and Tomatoes are excellent companion plants. The Basil kept the nasty bugs away from the tomatoes and they both equally grew quite full and bushy.

Finally, but definitely not least, are our beautiful beets. Sadly we did not get as much of a harvest as I had hoped for. I planted three plants and only two beets. The soil just wasn't rich enough or deep enough. The leaves mixed with some dandelion greens and garlic mustard with grated beets and carrots on top will make a tasty salad for Dave & I.

Now that Autumn is here we begin the task of setting down mulch and wood chips ready for the winter. I will be planting salad greens, garlic and onions in the garden this week. Our journey of planting our own edible garden has been full of twists and turns this season. I am glad that I decided to start with just a few vegetables and herbs rather than go with my initial desire to try and plant everything in my seed catalogue. The summer has given me an opportunity to develop a deeper connection with my garden and allow my intuition to guide me on what plants to choose the next time around.