End of July update

Here is an email that Ellen sent to garden folks last week:

The beauty of the garden is overwhelming!  So many birds, butterflies and bees all hovering around the lovely squash blossoms and other flowers!  lots of wildlife, including (unfortunately) the inevitable gophers. think "go away" thoughts.  We are trying many things to discourage their continued residency.  Fortunately, the resilience of our plants will win out.

We have had many new snack options for the children including zucchini bread, stuffed squash, squash pancakes, squash chips, and squash quesadillas.  We've also served cucumber, lettuce, and carrots! Reuel has been baking and selling fabulous zucchini bread, which is sold by the time it gets out of the oven!  We have also been able to begin supplying the preschool snack program with fresh yellow squash.
Our pumpkins are impressive!!  Carol has the children search for them since they can be hidden beneath the enormous leaves.
The corn has silks...how beautiful it's been to watch it grow and develop. Our many, many beans are flowering and we are looking forward to that harvest.


And here are a few photos taken by Susan this morning:

beans, beans, beans

and pumpkins

Lets look at using flat stepping stones for our paths. Also let's add herbs somewhere .

harvesting continues...

Jordan shows off an onion.

Photo by Jerry

Reuel has been baking zucchini bread....excellent! using for aftercare snack and parents are buying loaves. Yesterday I brought a basket of plums just picked from our plum tree and I was delighted to see the children enthusiastically ask if they could have some! It's very satisfying to witness their changing nutritional choices.

Rose Palley interviews students about the garden last spring...

A new use for summer squash.

What can you do with so many squash? Play a word game, of course, until you decide on a recipe for cooking them.

Sunday update

Another warm morning.  The resurrected dome climbing structure is now a Kiwi Hut.  Two females and one male were planted this morning.  If you're interested in knowing more about how to grow kiwi, you might want to read this article.

In between the kiwi plants, some pole beans will hopefully fill in for the summer...

Circle one is looking quite vibrant with california poppies, marigolds and nasturtium blooms all color coordinated with the squash blossoms...

and speaking of squash - there's oodles ready for harvest...

Well it is 90 degrees, and I have watered all circles and trees, I tilled along the fence line, and watched our resident Hawk fly by. What a lovely place to be. Looking forward to the Kiwi plants and the plants that will grow on the fence. I spoke with Jot tonight and requested another truck load of horse manure so we can prepare the beds along the fence. All is well.
jerry