Phew, I am really running behind this week. I didn’t get my Harvest Monday post done this week, even though I had a nice harvest to report. But I did get a new raised bed constructed and planted. See my last post. At this point, I’m hoping to get my Thursday “what I used from my garden and preserved harvest” post done before midnight. And… this marks my 200th blog post.
First, a feast for the eyes, a lovely orchid cactus in bloom.
So, before I go on to my harvest and use thereof, let me direct your attention to the World Map at the right. This app keeps track of where my visitors live. My blog has been visited by people from every state in the US, and people from 182 other countries. Since I don’t think that there are even that many countries in existence, that is quite remarkable. And since my blog is in English, it makes me wonder what brings all those people here. I would guess photos. Or maybe they get here by mistake. Who knows. I just hope they find something useful or that makes them happy.
This is the largest cabbage that I’ve ever grown. It weighed 3 lbs. It split, but I cleverly didn’t show you that side of the cabbage. I have another one, the last one, ready to pick this week.
I have potatoes growing in the fabric Gro-pot at the lower right, and yams in the other two pots. I’m about to plant my third and last pot of yams from slips growing on the kitchen windowsill. This is the largest that my potato plants have ever gotten, so I am hoping for a good harvest soon.
After not producing avocados for 15 years, my Littlecado tree finally did itself proud this year. I am harvesting two a week, which is the rate at which we consume them. They don’t ripen until picked. I have maybe 9-10 left on the tree, so the harvest isn’t over yet.
Whoopee, my first harvest of the year of Florida Prince peaches. They are pathetically small because I just didn’t thin them enough. Now I am faced with tiny fruits that are mostly seed. But boy are they tasty! Sweet and succulent, dripping with juice. I had some for breakfast this morning with granola.
First, my harvest for the week.
Harvest for week ending May 6, 2012.
FRUITS
14 oz Avocados
12 oz Orange, Navel
1 lb 6 oz Peaches, Florida Prince
Subtotal 3 lbs
VEGETABLES
12 oz Artichokes
3 lbs Cabbage, Red
1 oz Lettuce, Deer Tongue
Subtotal 3 lbs 13 oz
TOTAL PRODUCE 6 lbs 13 oz plus 10 eggs
If you had a harvest, or to see what others around the world are harvesting, visit Daphne’s Dandelions. See hot links at right.
On to what I made with my harvest. I made a batch of Meyer lemon-ginger marmalade, but I’ll post the recipe for that on another post because I’m running out of time and energy. I still want to bake a peach pie tonight with some of my Florida Prince peaches.
This smoked salmon fritatta was made with eggs from my hens, avocado and green onion from my garden, sliced cheese, and some smoked salmon. Wish I had more of that salmon, because it was YUMMY. Wish I could spell frittata. Frittatta. Whatever.
I made a beef stew with cubed boneless chuck roast, diced potatoes, an onion, a bunch of carrots sliced, and a can of my homemade tomato soup. I put two bay leaves on top from our tiny potted bay laurel tree.
I cooked the stew in our Sun Oven solar oven. I just love that thing and have been using it 2-3 times a week, saving energy and fighting global warming. The stew was done and tender after 4 hours. I swear, food tastes better when it is cooked in a solar oven. The flavors blend and mingle and meats are so tender it is amazing. But now that I look at the photo, I can see that it is white and sweet potatoes that are baking in it. They were great too.
We had the stew with cornbread and orange-honey butter.
Orange-honey Butter
1 stick of butter softened in microwave for 10 seconds
1 T orange rind grated with microplane grater
2 t honey
Blend with a fork. Great on blueberry pancakes, biscuits, cornbread, English muffins, etc.
Did somebody say blueberry pancakes? That’s what we had for breakfast the other day, made with blueberries from the farmers market, topped with 100% pure maple syrup and orange-honey butter made with orange rind from my own oranges, and… orange wedges.
If you used something from your kitchen cupboard or to see recipes from others, visit Robin at The Gardener of Eden.
I am now debating whether or not I have enough energy left in the evening to bake a peach pie. Arg, I wouldn’t get it into the oven until 10 pm and it wouldn’t come out until 11. That is a “not happenin’ activity” for tonight. Manana, muchachos y muchachas.
Lou Murray's Green World 
Those peaches look delicious. I have two little peaches on my peach tree. But I planted it last year and I’m not sure it is big enough to support them. It did have about 15 set, but I’ve picked all but those two off so far. I’m contemplating getting rid of them too.
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Daphne, leave them on. Support the branches with stakes if need be. That’s my advice.
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