We've had mixed results with the garden this summer. The Spring was cool, the summer average, but the bugs were horrible! The stink bugs took over our pumpkins, and even though we had some grow, the bugs ate them before they were ripe enough to pick.
However, we had LOTS of green beans, in fact, we still have the last bag's worth in the fridge waiting on us. We've even been able to give some away to friends.
But this time, we harvested our popcorn. Most of it was ready, but a few ears' worth is still drying in a bowl on the kitchen counter. Because the bugs were still plentiful, and most of the corn was ready, we went ahead and picked it all.
Is it a bumper crop? No. Is it an increase over what we planted? Definitely! The little ears are so darn cute! I think we'll save some kernels back to plant again next year. The variety we planted was "Dakota Black Popcorn' from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. So what have we learned? First, pole/ runner beans grow faster than popcorn does. Second- green beans grow when you're not looking. Third- popcorn tassels really early, and you have to wait for the ears...so don't despair...just wait. Fourth- corn smut is gross and needs dealt with early. Fifth - popcorn is cute, and fun to grow!
So here are some pictures of how our garden did over the summer. Now that it has been dry for so long, and we've picked our popcorn, the only thing left is to go dig up our purple sage from the plot and bring it home to transplant.
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| We used straw for mulch to cut down on weeding |
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| The beans grew faster than the popcorn, so we added some stakes for support |
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| The '3 Sisters' |
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| Harvest - round 1 |
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| Harvest - round 2 |
So right now, we're thankful for our popcorn harvest!
What are you thankful for this week?
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