h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

>>They just stuck posts in the middle of each hill, and the beans climbed them. <<

I wish I could draw cartoons - that sentence would make a lovely picture!

In Jack and the beanstalk, no posts were necessary, but the awesome growth of those vines is something to behold! :-0

So far I've picked 23 beans, which isn't too bad considering that there aren't that many plants, and that there may be more before the season is over.

I went out to my father's house and watered the pumpkins and squashes thoroughly. So far, there are one or two little pumpkins that may get big enough to harvest eventually. I've fertilized them twice so far, and will do so again on Sunday. The fertilizer does result in growth spurts.
Gardening is hard work when the growing season is this dry. '

But the reward is sweet. Nothing crops taste as good as crops from your own soil

That's true! I use eight of my beans for the beef stew I brought to my father last night. They were unblemished and very tasty.

"No crops taste as good as crops from your own soil" is what I wanted to say

Glad to hear you had a nice meal

This week, I'm emptying my freezer so as to make it easier to defrost. I used up the chicken and beef that were in there, as well as some carrots, kale, and zucchini. Tomorrow I'm going to use up the turkey by making a Tuscan bean soup. Zucchini and pepper strips and turkey will come out of the freezer for that. I have two kinds of canned beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and macaroni to add, along with herbs and spices.

"I'm emptying my freezer so as to make it easier to defrost"

me cheatpower off - food stuff out on a table, hairdryer speeds defrostpower back on and food back in

Same here. I usually do it in the dead of winter when the outside temperature is almost down to what it should be in the freezer

But defrosting in the summer gives me an excuse to get cool for a while.

Cool point!

picky picky

There's a thought! Paul, did you leave some beans for Jack ? I think he only got 3 in a deal for his cow ?

I picked two more beans today, bringing the total to date to 30. The pumpkins at my father's house are struggling because of the dryness. At most I seem likely to get two pumpkins for the season.

I bought a pricy jar of pickled pumpkin recently. Didn't like it. Too sweet. Definitely prefer pickled large cucumbers. Sour and and much cheaper

If I had known how handy my porch rails would be for the runner beans, I would have planted cucumbers there, too. I could have watered them daily and would have had a decent crop.

There's always next summer

I'll be planting a grapevine, hops and grow and >cucumber> next year

My porch railings would be ideal for grape vines. Pole beans seem more reliable, though, and their crop comes steadily during the season rather than ripening at the end of the season like grapes.

That's okay, stomping around in a barrel full of grapes is nothing I would like to do more than once per year, even if it leaves you with clean albeit red