Garden update

 

This was the garden at the end of May!  It's gone crazy since.  I'll need to get a new picture, today. 

We ate our first zucchini from the garden, last week. It was HUGE.  I'll post a picture.  (It's not good to let them get so big, but it worked out okay 'cause it makes awesome zucchini bread--Nick made and I'll share the recipe.)

And.... we have APRICOTS. 

 

We did pretty well picking this year.  We lost some because we had a heat wave on Thursday and we didn't pick Thursday night. (They got ripe and fell off the tree on Friday.) We still got 75 -100 pounds, I'm guessing.  Our first picking session gave us 25 pounds. We had two more picking sessions where we got at least another 25 pounds--maybe more. I didn't weigh the apricots from the second and third session because we didn't pick them into bags.

I learned to pick them into smaller containers and store them in baking pans so they are only two levels deep.  That way, they don't get too ripe too quickly and turn into mush in the bottom of the bag.  I have learned this trick a couple of times, so I'm writing it down so I remember it.  (In paper bags, they ripen VERY quickly.)

We've made 2 apricot crisps so far. I'm sure I'll make another two, today and then we'll make (OMG so good) Apricot Jam! We've cut a lot of apricots and frozen them (for a few days/weeks) so we can make jam at our leisure. Our Super Nanny returns from her vacation, tomorrow and I'm sure she'll be excited about the apricots!  Here's hoping she wants to make jam.  (Chelsea, we've missed you!)