Summer to Fall Crops Transition Underway at PAR Davies

Hi Everyone,

TODAY'S HARVEST 100 lbs.         YTD 1206 lbs.

This was the first day that we started working in the cool of the day at 7:00 a.m. to beat the heat, and we were leaving the garden just as things were starting to heat up. We like this idea and will continue to start early until the weather turns cooler. Gardeners today were Susan, Marilane, the two Martha's, Mary Elizabeth, Steve, Barbara and myself.

Our huge harvest filled Marilane's Prius.

Today we got a bunch of tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, okra, peppers and herbs....many varieties of beans and peppers...and a bouquet of zinnias. This was all delivered to the women's shelter.

Since we had such a big harvest we didn't get as much planted today as I'd wished, but we did get 18 broccoli plants and two late season squash put in. After picking, we took out several rows of beans to make room for fall crops. The bean plants were added to the compost, which Jamie will start shredding after we clean out most of the beds. A layer of compost was added before planting anything today.

Marilane and Martha picking Santa Anna pole beans.

The pole beans are starting to produce and should be giving us beans into the fall. Rotted tomatoes were cleaned out of the beds. Mary Elizabeth babied the Butternut bed, watering and squishing squash bugs and eggs. We hope to be able to pick a few of these next week. The squash bugs are really starting to get bad this time of year, but the Butternuts still look in fairly good shape.

Butternut squash bed.

Saturday I hope to get more beds cleaned out and some seeds planted. There is a good chance of rain and slightly cooler temps. We have plenty of things to plant in our cool weather garden.

Chicken coop underway in the Davies manor house kitchen garden.

When we arrived this morning we found some construction going on. There will be chickens arriving Monday, and the coop is being erected inside the fenced-in garden area. We will get to see first hand how to take care of chickens. We are excited.

Sunflowers to greet you at the front gate.

We had a good day and a good harvest. We are looking forward to our fall plantings and cooler weather and fewer bugs.

'Til later,
Dianne