We got a break from the hot weather last week, with temperatures only in the 80s (°F), lower humidity and pleasant night time temperatures. I replanted some of the seeds that didn’t germinate (beans, squash and cucumbers) and most of them germinated quickly. Last Sunday I harvested the German Extra Hardy garlic and it is now hanging in the shed. Below is some of the Red Chesnok, which got an extra week and was harvested on Saturday. It is now drying on the porch before being hung.
I let the cilantro go to seed (like I had anything to say about it). The bees love the flowers and eventually you get cilantro (aka coriander) seeds. If you harvest them green, they still have some of the cilantro leaf flavor but they also have a fresh citrusy taste and aroma. I got a good cup of seeds from this cutting, most of which I will freeze. Some of the fresh seeds will go into my refrigerator pickle jar, on the off chance that I actually succeed in growing some cucumbers this year. Another handful is being used to infuse some vodka for Cortinis. Got this idea from Willi Galloway’s Grow Cook Eat. After a couple of days, the vodka has developed a sweet, candy or vanilla-like fragrance with some citrus overtones. I left some plants uncut so I get some brown, ripened seeds as well.
I picked what is probably the last of the fava beans. They are not liking the hot weather and I may remove them along with the peas to free up the bed. Some of the beans had some brown discoloration on the skins, but the brown spots were only on the skin and did not affect the bean itself. Some beans were used in a scafata of favas and chard, a good dish that did not require me to peel the beans and used up some of my chard. More beans went into a lamb tagine with favas and artichoke hearts.
The greens are about finished. Almost everything is bolting except the chard and mustard. I am getting a few heads of lettuce, mostly from volunteers or stray seeds outside the greens bed. See, it pays to be messy.. It will be a while before I get other vegetables because of all the delays in planting or poor germination, although the tomatoes and peppers are doing just fine. Tough year. Oh well, the fridge is still stuffed. My herbs are doing OK and I need to start drying some herbs. I make a basil mix from Genovese, Siam Queen and Spicy Globe which is a lot more exotic than any purchased dried basil.
That’s what I harvested last week. To see what is happening in gardens around the world, please visit Daphne’s Dandelions, our host for Harvest Monday.
It's been a weird year in my garden, early hot weather cut my spring crops short and my timing on my summer crops has been off so they are not off to a good start, the only happy veggies are the zucchini. I guess I should be grateful for prolific zucchini... hmmm
ReplyDeleteThe green coriander seeds stay tasty when they dry. I only harvest fully mature seeds from the plants for sowing these days, the dried green seeds are so much more flavorful.
Thank you, thank you for all the green coriander ideas. I, too, have been harvesting them, and didn't quite know what to do with them. Have been freezing them all. I'm going to try the vodka infusion as well as drying them green. They do have a much brighter flavor than the brown, why hasn't anybody tried to market them?
DeleteI have never tried a green coriander seed. I usually collect them after they dry and leave some on the plant to replant themselves, which usually means I get cilantro growing in the garden in the middle of winter.
ReplyDeleteLove the blog Dave. I'm jealous on the garlic. I've grown 6 or 8 varieties the last few years, but had to move unexpectedly so it will have to wait until next years garden. If you get a chance, check out what I've got going on at
ReplyDeletewww.squarefootgardener.com
I'll be sure to stop by here often!
Brandon
Great harvest this week! The only garlic we will get this year will be from the mercy of friends or the farmers market. We didn't get in any in last fall so we just ate up our seed over the winter and we will have to start over this year!
ReplyDeleteToo bad you are losing all the selection you did on your own strain of garlic. Will still be good to eventually grow your own garlic.
DeleteBeautiful harvest week for you. Love your greens. Mine are for the most part gone until fall. Great garlic harvest. I have only picked a few.
ReplyDeleteYour garlic looks amazing! After a few run ins with our chickens this spring, our garlic just couldn't hold on...I think we have 2 or 3 that survived of the ~40 I planted. So, yes, your garlic looks absolutely perfect!
ReplyDeleteChickens that eat garlic! What did the eggs taste like?
DeleteVanilla from corriander? In vodka? Well- it's worth a shot I guess. *snicker*... Ahem. Yes, well. A shot. LOL. :-D Missing my garlic this year. Yours looks wonderful.
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