Mid Summer — Lots Of Peaches
I’m still picking peaches from our trees, and they’re also falling off faster than I can use them. Fifty cups of peaches have been frozen, so I’m expecting our ancient freezer to go out sometime this year (hopefully in winter). Murphy’s Law, you know; it’ll probably give up the ghost in August.
It’s odd how one year a certain fruit or vegetable will proliferate, while another year that very same thing won’t thrive. For some reason this year, the fruit trees went wild. This resulted in shortages on supermarket shelves throughout our part of the state (and perhaps beyond). Sure Jell, Fruit Fresh, canning supplies, jars, lids, and even sugar were difficult — if not impossible — to locate at various times.
Our garden’s still producing, but same story there. Cucumbers were nonexistent. Last year there were plenty, but not enough dill for pickling. This year, the dill did fine, but no cucs to pickle. Squash, almost always a big winner, disappointed us. By the time I picked the few we produced, most were enormous. Normally we’re begging folks to take squash off our hands by July. This time, there’s barely enough for us. (We gave away peaches instead).
The other day, I offered peaches to a total stranger in the grocery store! We’ve shared about 20 plastic grocery bags full of them so far with various family and friends. That took care nicely of my too-large supply of bags for recycling (those I never remember to return). Tomatoes did only so-so. The stellar exceptions were four or five little yellow pear tomato bushes. Have you ANY idea how many tiny, little yellow pear tomatoes even one bush can yield— and how tediously long it takes to pick them in the heat of a Texas summer? We produced more cantaloupe than ever in our (relatively short) gardening history. However, the raccoons enjoyed more than we did. A few watermelons grew large before the vines dried up. (A day’s lapse in watering — or picking — and bad things may — and often do — follow). One banana pepper bush has produced dozens of banana peppers, and I have no idea how to use them all. The great variety and color of both sweet and hot peppers I planted were mainly for consumption by my son and my daughter’s boyfriend. Neither of them is around this summer to follow through on that ill-thought-out plan. As I’m very fond of saying, “timing is everything” (in gardening as in so many other areas of life).
There are two things in the garden that have produced like champs. One is okra, as always. If I can’t make it to the garden each day, I find okra the size of bananas. These I tediously remove and toss over the fence to insure the plants continue producing. I can’t keep up with them. And really, how much okra can two people eat? No one else seems to want any. This is a vegetable seemingly more suited for processing into hair detangler, motor lubricant, or glue. I always say it must have been a brave caveman indeed who first sampled okra. (Or a very hungry one. You know it’s related to the devil’s claw). With all the jelly and wine making, the gargantuan peach crop (picking, cleaning, peeling, pitting, freezing or making into cobblers), and the general garden watering, weeding, picking, washing and cooking — I simply can’t face pickling okra — at least not yet. There are still one plum tree, one wild plum tree, and more grapes to use for making jelly (if I can reach them). When it rains, it pours.
Speaking of rain, we finally had a bit more, for which I am deeply grateful. For two days, I needn’t water flowers or garden. Woohoo!
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And to the gentleman who inquired if we might remove bees from his mother’s home: We weren’t able to call before you left on vacation. The short answer is that we probably aren’t expert enough to guarantee complete removal of an established hive. A swarm would be a different story. Please call again if you wish to speak to Zack!
Gene Ellis, Ed.D is a Bosque County resident who returned to the family farm after years of living in New Orleans, New York, and Florida. She’s an artist who holds a doctoral degree from New York University and is writing a book about the minor catastrophes of life. Check out Genie’s blog at http://rusticramblings.wordpress.com/
