Firstfruits

The garden is producing! (I had my doubts until I saw those first few flowers and the tiny beginnings of zuchini.

Ours is what I've coined a "grand finale garden", when all the others have stopped and been tilled under, we'll be reaping the delicious harvest (if it isn't first killed off by the frost). Because we had to install the fence this first year, read 4 books on how to prepare a garden, find the plants after Memorial Day and wade through all the muck in early June, our planting season ran a bit behind more traditional Michigan gardeners (all but my Dad who never plants before the last weekend in May).

Aside from some minor glitches, I'm fairly pleased with this first try. I've yet to test the soil, which I'm sure needs lots of amending considering it was virgin until we added some compost. The tomatoes were planted in the wrong spot and have been suffering from too little early morning sun and too much rain! The broccolli looked gorgeous until the unknown intruder began it's munching. The perimeter of the fence is still secure and all evidence points to an insect. The bean and cukes have begun their climb, peppers and squash have been flowering and have immature versions of what will someday be a tasty treat for a very fussy 8 yr. old girl.

The farmers market is bursting with color and variety right now, (lucky for me) if you get there early enough in the day. If not, you settle for watermelon with seeds, only jumbo sized yellow squash and no colored peppers. The old adage claims "The Early Bird Catches the Worm" which is true for the market but wait until late August and our harvest will just begin. (Hopefully)