Summer Fruits

Summer Fruits

Summer fruit has really come: gooseberries, salal berries, wild oregon grape, wild trailing blackberry, plums, raspberries, zucchini, banana fingerling potatoes, garlic, wild  kale, spinach, fava beans, lettuce, wild mustard, parsley, calendula, butterfly bush, They are all ready and we're harvesting every day.

Nettles are continuing well, too; because I've been cutting them all spring and summer and they are getting watered by the grey water system they are vibrant, green, and growing succulent fresh leaves seemingly overnight.  Every three days I can harvest the tops of the cut patches. What has gone to seed I either prune and add to the mulch - for it is excellent soil food - or let it the seeds fully ripen to harvest later on.  Some people like to crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle and use it in pestos and the like.  Others say that pregnant women should stay away from  the seed.

In the drying loft, lemon balm, mints, and lots of nettle continue to dry out to be used immediately in the herb teas that have been selling well at the market.  It's always lovely when a return customer from afar seeks my stand out and is happy to see me still producing the teas and baked goods.

Saturday market here we come!