After the heat of this past summer some of you are surely enjoying the cool fall weather and good rains we have been experiencing. Vegetables are also very happy. Garlic and elephant garlic are up and growing happily in my vegetable garden. Carrots are not happy and I don't even think they are growing at all (maybe just a little). Arugula is up and beginning to get large. It is probably too late to start much of anything else this fall, but I do plan to sow some lettuce seeds soon. I wanted to share another common fall crop growing in my friend's garden.
These Brussels sprouts are growing in Gerianne's garden. I think she likes to grow vegetables just for the challenge of growing them because she doesn't seem to eat them! These Brussels sprouts are ready to be picked and eaten and I was thrilled to see such a good crop. I personally have a problem timing the growth of Brussels sprouts and other cool season crops like broccoli, so I rarely get a good crop. Spring crops bring worms to my Brussels sprouts and fall crops bring frozen plants. Brussels sprouts are members of the brassica family, which also includes cabbage, and require cool weather to grow. But if you will notice the date on the picture is October 1st. It was not cool at any time before this picture was taken, so I am not sure how these Brussels sprouts did so well-but the proof is in the picture. Don't they grow in a cool way? You have to actually either cut or twist off the little sprouts from the stem. In my family we like to eat Brussels sprouts with vinegar on them. I am not sure if anyone else eats them this way but the tartness of the vinegar and dull taste of the sprouts works very well together and Brussels sprouts are very good for you. Even Jimmy eats them this way.
Good news, Gerianne tells me she and her family will be eating Brussels sprouts today for Thanksgiving. She also says the stems are now twice as big as they were when this picture was taken and she has a good crop to pick. Ahhh, nothing better than fresh picked vegetables you grow yourself (or pick from a friend's garden). I hope if you don't have some veggies in your garden to pick, that you will plan to grow some next year. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
in the garden....
