Backyard Grocery

The rooster that simmered for several hours in our oven this afternoon offered very little meat to three young men, Karen and me, which is fine for me, perhaps disappointing for them.  A plateful of vegetables is enough to make me smile.

Soon it may be time to post the "Fresh Vegetables" sign on Elk Cliff Farm. 

"Save money on paint," says Virginia, "'Vegetables' will do the trick.  Of course they're fresh."

• Some tomatoes have turned red.  
• I always miss a few cucumbers when I look for "future pickles of America."  
• The garlic is about ready to be pulled out, dried and braided.  
• We should eat potatoes every day so they don't sprout in the basement this Fall.
• It's about time to surrender beets to winemaking.
• The next planting of green beans is blossoming, so maybe two will overlap and swamp us.
• Twelve varieties of lettuce are bitter and bolting, save one and the summer crop that's growing under an ash tree.
• We need to get more olive oil to make pesto from parsley, basil, oregano, garlic and home-made cheese.
• The broccolis are forming little heads again, while the cabbages have become downright arrogant (big-headed).
• The straw of winter wheat waits to be pulled and replaced with corn, beans and other things.
• We might have enough carrots for wine.
• It may be time to dig a root cellar for onions and others.

"You forgot something," says Virginia.

I covered everything from "a" to -- oh, zucchini, in a few days we'll have some.  I noticed two dark blackberries today, grapes getting fat, and tasty nasturtiums shriveling.

Gotta keep planting the grocery store.