Bounties

We planted a lot this year, after having never done it before, aside from growing basil, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Both of us grew up with parents who were avid gardeners, and so it was never a question of "what are we going to do back here", more of a "so how do we whittle down our list of things we want to plant?".

Since it was our first year, we decided to opt with generally easy crops. Everything was started from seed (except 3 cucumber plants, which we bought at the market after our seeded cucumbers failed miserably). We planted three different kinds of cherry tomatoes, broccoli, chinese cabbage (wa wa sei), leeks, fennel, two different kinds of beets, snap peas, snow peas, "rhubarb" chard, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce and peppers. Talia, as our engagement present, gave us 2 pumpkin plants she had started from seed (she knows us well), Dana gave us some artichoke plants she stared from seed, and Maren's friends gave us rhubarb plant (and some lovely lavender, which we still haven't decided on a spot!). A couple things popped up, including a gourd plant and an acorn squash!

Since this year was an overwhelming success (with the glaring exception of the leeks and broccoli), we plan to expand next year and donate some to the neighbourhood houses, who give out fresh veggies to families who can't afford it.

The winter crop has yet to be planted, which includes turnips, winter squash and more cabbage.

Last night we picked the last of the fennel and a bunch of carrots, and Janine made leek and potato soup with veggies from the market, and I made the absurdly easy veggie bake, which is to cut up a bunch of veggies (we had carrots, fennel, huge elephant garlic courtesy of Dana's garden, chipolini onions from the market, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper) chuck em into a large casserole dish, cover and bake at 375 C for 30-45 minutes. Insanely healthy, insanely good.

The three of us also wandered down towards the park and picked a large bucket-full of blackberries, which have now been washed, spread on a tray and are freezing. Dunno what we'll do with them yet.

Bought some pears at the market this past weekend, Janine plans to can them! Yummy!

Our landlord is coming by today to put up the much-anticipated lattice that will block off the ugly view of the under-the-deck area, which is full of weeds. If we owned the house, I would put down black landscape fabric and put a load of river rock. My parents did it, it's stunning. We might do the landscape fabric anyways, but we'll see.

I want to put in a pond. Can renters do that????