The yardwork never ends

This week the spring rains finally cleared up & the weather's been hot, hot hot!

Yesterday the guys mowed the grass and fields. The property always looks so nice after it's been mowed...

After just a few days of over 90 degree temperatures the grass dries right up. We're going to have to start watering the garden real soon!

Last week we bought this little Kawasaki Mule ATV at a local auction; it's been used non-stop since we got it. It's a handy little thing. I like it because I don't have to straddle it like a motorcycle like the other ATVs.

The guys cut down a tree that had branches on top of our house yesterday (this property was not maintained for the past 50 or so years). The tree was way too close to the house, and was covered in ivy, poison ivy, and grape vines. They are now busy clearing up the tree branches.

Another garden "harvest"

Another garden harvest!

We've been getting asparagus all spring long, but I haven't really considered that as our own crop - the asparagus plants were already here when we bought the property last year. My husband thought they looked unique growing wild out in a field behind our house (the plants were about 3 foot tall & all in seed), so he didn't mow them when he cleared the field, but instead researched them & sure enough, they were asparagus. Since then, we've cleaned up the asparagus patch, & have been enjoying them ever since. Thank you to whoever planted it long, long ago!

Squash Flowers

Several people told me how squash flowers are supposed to be a gormet delicacy, so I figured I'd give them a try since we have a so many flowers on our squash plants... Here's the story...

It's been raining alot here in Maryland - after the prerequisite afternoon downpour my husband & I noticed that many squash flowers had just fallen off the plants. So we picked up all the flowers that fell off, tossed the ones that were in bad condition, & brought the rest inside.

I researched squash flowers, learning that there's male & female flowers & only the females produce fruit. Makes sense. A quick check of the garden revealed that we mostly have male flowers. Hmmm...

I cut out the insides of the flowers, cleaned them real well, and laid them out to dry.


I found a simple recipe at this page:

http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0805b.htm

I made the battered squash blossoms, which is the first recipe listed. Cook them fast in a very hot skillet. We learned that we liked them without too much batter (they're better crispy), and they are best served piping hot.

First Garden Harvest

We've had our first garden harvest - some beans! It wasn't much, but it was exciting! ...You have to remember - this is our first garden, so this is a big deal for us!

The squash plants are going crazy with flowers! We are going to have squash all summer - I'll have to find some interesting recipes...

Tomatoes continue to grow...


Corn...


A friend of mine mentioned that squash flowers are edible ~ has anyone heard about that? If you know, send me the scoop!!

Garden update

Our garden continues to grow ~ here's the latest pics from today.

We've had lots of rain here, that's for sure. All this rain has been good for the garden...

The squash are full of huge yellow flowers.

There are small green tomatoes, small squash, and little beans already.

We put six foot fences around the garden to keep the deer & other animals out. The deer continually check it out, one deer likes to walk around the perimeter of the garden fence & look in. She stomps her feet in irritation because she just can't get in there! There's also been a rabbit recently hanging near the garden, in addition to the normal woodchucks who are always around somewhere. The chucks could dig under the fence, but they don't. They are happy eating clover, and there's lots of that for them.

We are looking forward to our first harvest from our garden.