Harvest Monday of Champions

I guess I've been a bit busy sewing to remember to post Harvest Mondays. But it doesn't mean we've not  had harvests despite the chilly start to spring.

There has been a few small serves of snow peas, swiss chard, kale and broccoli (the last one isn't pictured, because my other half hates it so it is always seperate and mostly forgotten when the camera is about.) I'm using some more of the kale and chard tonight in a stir fry to use up some amazing pulled pork and to celebrate 10 months with my lovely other half.

I also harvested the last of the current crop of megapot carrots, though the bugs got more of these than me.

I am about to remove the broccoli and snow peas to make way for more tomatoes, so the harvests might be quite lena for a few weeks. That said there is some lettuce coming along and if the snails don't eat it all we will have basil soon. Here are the tomatoes just itching to get in the ground:

Want to see more substantial harvests? Head on over to Daphne's Dandelions.

Harvest Monday

There mightn't be many big harvest posts for a while here - I've taken out most of the winter greens and put in the new season's tomatoes! A few stray broccoli stems remain, but they're pretty worn and only hold a couple of edible shoots. Sad really to see the last of the winter crops, though on the other hand ... yay tomatoes.  Before it all goes a little quiet, here is what we have harvested lately:

Carrots, some eaten by me, some by bugs! Apparently only one was photographed, a little golden one. There was also a little purple one and a thumbalina one too. All delicious but I guess not worthy of remembering to capture in a  kodak moment.

Snow peas have been gracing our plates lately. Sadly usually only little harvests, but sometimes just enough to throw in a salad or a stir fry.

I should get one of two more hand fulls of these before they get pulled out. They're in spaces that will be occupied by corn and tomatoes and zucchini and cukes (no, not all the same pot, that would be uncompanion planting!!!)

A few herbs here and a silverbeet leaf there, but really that is it for the moment. Stay tuned for more balcony garden action, or head on over to Daphne's Dandelions and see everyone else's harvest deliciousness.

Harvest Monday

Conference season means I've been away spreading my academic wares and absorbing the fantastic works of others. First up was the Australian Historical Association conference in Adelaide where I also caught a nasty flu, which meant the citrus drinks aided by my recent harvests were a little ineffective. Then on to Canberra for the IABA conference (international auto/biographical association) where my voice had returned but the cough had remained. Papers went well and I thoroughly enjoyed all the sessions I attended. I was particularly pleased seeing a few Melbourne colleagues giving papers (not the least of which was my lovely other half.) Being at a conference in Adelaide meant staying with the parentals, which was as lovely as always. AND I got to see the puppy dogs, who were, as always, as cute as ever.

One would also think that being away would limit the harvest - but here are a few things I harvested before I left (and since I've returned.)

Some thumbelina and purple carrots, enjoyed by me, my lovely bf and also by the bugs of the garden (tiny but super delicious, the carrots that is, not the bugs.)

 (see the big chunk taken out of the orange one!!! I can assure you that was all descendents of Sid the Snail and not me.)

Greens are a good staple on the balcony. Things such as broccoli, kale and swiss chard made a delicious stirfry along with pork mince and rice cakes.

Brocolli leaves (only) also went into a nutritious and delicious soup, that while a distinct hue of baby vomit green, have proven to be almost addictive. I've had two bowls today already. Probably the yellow curry, lentils, parsnips, carrots and potatoes I put in with it. They say that the leaves have a tonne of Vitamin A in them which is awesome, and usually I'd just chuck them out. Hooray for food scraps!

 

The garden is a little light on produce now (except for a few snow peas, some piddly little lettuce and a few bits of broccoli.) But ... in exciting news ... I spent an hour or so today cleaning up the left over pots in preparation for the spring crop which is just around the corner! Future harvests here we come. For more amazing harvests visit Daphne's Dandelions.

Harvest Monday

Sorry I have been away for a bit and the blog has fallen silent. I spent Christmas in Adelaide with the folks, and have begun the new year by getting on with the thesis (which is due in August.) Despite the business the garden has not been neglected and it has been awash with a bountiful harvest. Wild strawberries, sweet corn, zucchinis, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, eggplants, a pumpkin and more. They helped make new years eve a tasty evening and continue to keep me eating healthily. Problem is, you will just have to imagine them, because my camera cord has gone AWOL! If it reappears I'll add some photos, but for now here are some oldies to represent the harvest.

For more harvest posts visit Daphne's Dandelions.

Harvest Monday - tomato porn

Harvest Monday is brought to you today by gratuitous shots of tomatoes and the spring awakening of the corn. The week itself began with a corn, a baby corn just busting out of its little husk. I just wanted to see how it looked, how it grew, so I ripped it off way too early.

When I removed its clothing here is what I found ...

One tasty little broken baby corn. Mmmmmm so good. Then the week descended into an orgy of produce, from greens to zukes to basil to tomatoes to carrots and more, all vying for a position on my salad plate.

Then, ok, you waited for it, here is the tomato porn. The first big harvest, complete with garlic in a martini glass.

They went on top of a yummy lasagne I cooked tonight (using my BBQ no less because my oven is still on the fritz) And what started the week with a sizzle took it out with a bang. Another corn

Another undressing

But this time the star was fully grown, fully formed, and extra tasty.

I didn't even need to cook it, just dived on in and at the whole thing raw.

What will next week's harvest bring? If you want to see more harvest head on over to Daphne'sDandelions for the full show.

Harvest Monday

Oh it has been a busy week or two, but the balcony garden waits for no postgrad. I've been harvesting quite a bit recently included in this is:

1. A bunch of oddly shaped purple carrots
2. 3 full sized zukes weighing in at over half a kilo and 3 small baby zukes which went in salad

3. lettuce almost every day (I love my salads)

4. Several strawberries of various kinds

5. Two little stems of red currants!
6. Sage for various pumpkin dishes
7. Three small eggplants which went into a curry

8. 1 head of garlic which went into a risotto (yes all of it) and 2 small heads of poorly formed garlic.

Harvest Monday looks set to be even better from here on in. Head on over to Daphne's Dandelions for mnore harvest monday madness.

Harvest Monday

Spring has sprung and the harvest is beginning to pick up. Zukes are starting to fruit, as are tomatoes but it'll be a while before I harvest them. And, for once I remembered to take pictures of the harvest! It was a bit similar to times past, lettuce, eggplant, carrots but this time with one lovely addition - a strawberry (or 3.)

Eggplant was holey, thanks to Mr snail.

Carrots ranged from baby purples,

to lady-shaped purples,

to wierdly mangled multi-colours.

Lettuce is continuous and tasty.

While this Kurowase strawberry was shared by 3 eager tasters.

It was light but sweet and smushy. The Hokowases I ate this morning were smaller but stronger in taste. Looking forward to a large harvest of these this summer. What are you harvesting this week? Look over to Daphne's Dandelions for more posts.

Harvest Monday

Yummy harvests have been going on here at the balcony garden. It is carrots, carrots, carrots all the way, oh and a little bit of lettuce. Oh and eggplants, out came some of the little baby eggplants. Problem was I forgot to take photos of them all! So here they are on the plants or in the ground and you can imagine the yummy harvest!

Although small, I had to harvest some of these overwintered eggplants, because the snails or something similar had already started a harvest of their own. They gave texture and sweetness to a yellow curry.

mmmmmmm cos lettuce. Whether it be sandwich or salad not a day goes by when I don't eat some of this. (don't worry there are several lettuce pots, this isn't just a magic or miraculous single lettuce.)

The carrots may look wilted here, but they tasted great in salad, and in the curry. Purple carrots in this pot. White ones in another. They're all coming out to be replaced with zucchini 0r tomatoes and more.

Harvest Monday

Two lemons, five carrots, a bowl full of lettuce, every last inch of rocket and some coriander all went into last Friday's meal. Beetroot (from my Aunt's garden), goats' cheese, rocket and pancetta risotto, served with a carrot and greens salad followed by strawberry lemon cheesecake icecream, straight from the brand new ice cream maker! And what photos do I have to show for it? NONE! But we had 5 happy dinner guests and one proud owner of an icecream machine and balcony veggie patch. Next harvest Monday I promise to photograph the produce, but in the meantime please take these recent shots of the plants for your harvest viewing pleasure, and imagine what they looked like in my harvest basket and then on the plate.

Ok so that is a golden beetroot not the large bulls blood ones that I cooked with but isn't it pretty. More of a single serve risotto size though. And for extra droolage I'll have you know that the second icecream flavour made in the icecream machine was Dulche de Leche (recipe here)

Now if you are after proper photos of harvests that aren't just substitutes for the real deal then head on over to Daphne's Dandelions for this week's harvest monday post.

Harvest Monday

If you want to see lush Summer harvests, with bowls upon bowls of glistening tomatoes, yards of drying chillis and plenty of zucchini, then this isn't the harvest post for you (for plenty of posts in that manner head on over to Daphne's Dandelions for the rest of harvest Monday.) This is a Winter harvest post, though it is not as barren as one might think. The balcony garden is brimming with the greener side of the vegetable patch and some very well timed citrus. We have lettuce in hanging baskets (with a primrose stuck in the middle)

Baby coriander amongst the garlic (needing to be culled to help give the garlic a chance)

Lemons, four infact, two of which are still on the tree and one which went into this lovey slow cooked roast lamb dish (5 hours in the over, with lemon, garlic and some water in the pan, delicious)

The other lemon went to the fruit bowl, to be with his kind. Note the wonders of apartment living mean the fruit bowl and the powercords are very close friends.

Lunar white carrots, which generally grow more slowly, are the only ones reaching a decent size at the moment. I harvest one or two a day for salads. Wonder what happened to the purple haze and purple dragon carrots which are miniature in comparison.

Silverbeet that isn't silver gets added to stirfries and soups and more each day.

Not bad for a cold, wet, Wintery Melbourne. :) Veggie dinner anyone???