My lovely in-laws were in town for the weekend. I took advantage of the extra child-care, and hit the garden to sow the last of my seeds. It’s not too late, even in the Upper Midwest! I planted on Friday, and seedlings appeared today. And bonus, there are far fewer weeds to deal with this time of year.

I planted a mix of beets, some butterhead lettuce, and spinach. Each of these crops mature relatively quickly, and thrive in cooler temperatures. Just in case of an early frost, I did plant in my cold frame if extra protection is needed in October.

I’ve also been harvesting and preserving (when I get the chance). For fresh eating, we’ve enjoyed zucchini, tomatoes, onions, herbs, and green beans.

And here is what I’ve put up:

12 pints of strawberry freezer jam
2 gallon bags of frozen strawberries
5 gallon bags of frozen blueberries
3 gallon bags of frozen green beans
1 small jar of cornichons
1 quart jar of fermented sour pickles
1 gallon bag of pesto ‘cubes’ (prepared and frozen in ice cube trays)

I’m hoping to have time to can tomato sauce this weekend — we’ll see.

Happy gardening, harvesting, and preserving!