Snap Peas

So we harvested quite a bit of sugar snap peas, and we needed to preserve them.   Based on reading, we decided the best way was to blanch then freeze them. They were done in two batches, after removing the ends and strings.

Boiled for 2 minutes

 Cooled in ice water for 2 minutes

 Dried on paper towels

 Put in vacuum bags for freezing

Summer Blooms

Peppers

So all of our pepper plants are doing well, and all have flowered and have baby peppers on them.  A few plants actually had peppers ready to harvest. 

The 2 smaller dark green peppers are a "Big Guy" Jalapeno variety.  The 2 medium peppers are a "Hot Salsa" Hybrid, and the 2 long peppers are Sweet Banana. 

Hop Trellis Build Part 2

So the hops have now outgrown the first part of the trellis, so it was time to build the section section.   

 About 10 feet away, I am adding a second set of posts.  These will be higher, and the growing twine will run on an angle between the posts to maximize the growing length. 

 The second posts will consist of a 10 foot 4"x4" post that is sunk about 30", with (3) 50 lb bags of concrete for a footer.   I will then bolt on a 10 foot 2"x4" board, with a cross at the top with eyelets for the twine.  That way at the end of the season I can take down the upper section.   

 The top of the cross is bolted on with two 5/16" diameter carriage bolts, and also supported with two small "L" brackets.  All the hardware is galvanized to hold up to the weather. 

 The upper section will be bolted to the main post with two 1/2" diameter carriage bolts.

 The two boards are overlapped 3 feet, making the overall height about 15 feet high. 

The twine is strung through the eyelets at the top of the trellis, and secured to rope cleats on the side of the post. 

The one post was done a few weeks ago since the Nugget vines were growing faster.  They are about half way up the angled section of twine. 

 But the Cascades (on the right) are starting to catch up, but I think they are getting less afternoon sun due to the Maple tree. 

  

Ripe Berries

Our various berries are starting to ripe, and we've begun harvesting some. Blueberries, Red Raspberries, and Black Raspberries.   We don't have any Blackberries or Yellow Raspberries yet.

Hop Burrs

The one Nugget hop plant is starting to develop flowers, or "burrs" on the side arms. They start looking spiny, and then will develop into the papery hop cones that are used for bittering and aroma during beer brewing.

For more info on Hops growth cycle.
http://www.freshops.com/hop-growing/hop-gardening#growth_cycle

Initially I was having a problem with some type of small caterpillars that were eating the hop leaves.  I was spraying them daily with soapy water. Not sure if that worked, but there aren't as many holes in the new leaves, and I haven't seen them in a few weeks.  Luckily I have seen some ladybugs patrolling the hop leaves.   Ladybugs are supposed to be excellent for eating any aphids.  Go ladybugs go! 

Chickens = Mini-pigs

So I noted in the last garden post about how our Romaine lettuce bloomed while we were away on vacation, and therefore is now inedible (extremely bitter).  Inedible only for us humans though, as the chickens loved it!  The next morning, not a scrap of green leaf was left.  Most of our food that goes south, especially produce, usually goes to the chickens.  They are basically miniature pigs, they'll eat most food scraps.  Last year before we put bird netting on our tomatoes, we had a lot of tomatoes that were missing big chunks from the birds.  They went crazy over those.   Unfortunately for the chickens, this year we are going to have bird netting from the start, hence the PVC frame "house" over the tomato bed.

Rizzo and Sweetums dig in.

Berry Update

Our red raspberries and blueberries are starting to get some color.  The strawberries are still producing too.

Vegetable Garden Update

Lots done, planted, and grown since the last post about the vegetable garden.  We have half of the fence up:

While we were on vacation for a week, unfortunately our Romaine bloomed and is now bitter.  Oh well, I guess the chickens will get a salad dinner.  The onions and garlic are about ready for harvest as the greens are starting to yellow.

 Tomato plants are growing fast

 We have some baby tomatoes

 Pepper Plants

 The Scarlet Runner beans

Looks like we were wrong about these Italian Rose Beans.  They are bush growing, not pole.  Oh well.

 Cucumber plants have already produced two 

 Soy and Green beans were the last to be planted, but popped right up

 The Sugar Snap peas have gone crazy - already producing pods

Sweet Potato vines, and Squash and Zuchini plants

 Carrots

 Herb Garden - the perrenial herbs have been transplanted from their previous location in another bed.  

 Grape vine for the future arbor

 Currant and Elderberry bushes