Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Does Your Garden Grow?

We were really late getting a garden in this year, what with just moving in, having a baby, and major work to do on the house and yard. We felt like frontiersmen, cutting a farm out of the new frontier. I almost didn't even bother with a garden, because we were so late, but I glad we did it! This is our garden about a month ago.

Every day I bring in an armload like this. I've got zucchini, crookneck , and straight neck galore. My cucumbers are producing great, and so are my peppers, eggplant and basil. My weeds are growing even better.

I told the kids they'd better just learn to like zucchini, because we were going to be eating it for dinner every night. When the kids ask what's for dinner, Rob usually reminds them, "zucchini." I love it, but the kids and Rob don't. I need more creative ways to serve zucchini and summer squash. HELP! I boil it, pan fry it, make bread and brownies... Tonight I shredded some and put it in spaghetti sauce; they didn't even notice:)!

I'm not sure why I planted 8 eggplants. I love eggplant, but 8 is a little over-the-top. We had yummy eggplant parmigiana tonight. Any eggplant ideas?! Anybody want some eggplant or squash?!

I picked these beautiful blackberries at our farm today. YUM! They are huge!

We have been salivating while patiently watching our corn grow. The other day the kids picked a few ears. Some of it was too young, but some was just about there. We ate it anyway. It makes me giddy! Hooray, we just picked our first tomatoes the other day.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!

Nathan is so silly. He made sure that I would post this picture.

Matthew has to copy everything his brother does. I'm not sure if they're appeasing the corn gods or what.

Yeah for gardens! I was so disappointed at first, when the bugs ate all my beans, pumpkins and winter squash that came up. I thought everything was going to die, but luckily we had enough pull through. Now I have a fall crop of peas growing, along with spinach, radishes, carrots, beets, swiss chard, beans, lettuce and cabbage. I love that we have space for a big garden, especially since I don't have my dad around this year to grow everything for me. As the shirt my sis-in-law made says, "self-reliance rocks!"