Garlic - and canning season (Pickled Green Garlic)

The garlic is looking good.  Although we are weeks behind where it was maturity-wise last year at this time.  We've completed our first pass at weeding the beds. 

All tomatoes are transplanted.  Varieties this year are Hillbilly Potato Leaf, Illini Star, Blonkopfchen, Green Zebra, Martino Romano, Dester and Kellogg's Breakfast. (Our forever thanks to Penny at Wishful Acres for introducing us to Kellogg's Breakfast!)

Kale, Swiss Chard and a couple of pepper varieties are also transplanted.  Pepper varieties transplanted are Georgia Flame, Beaver Dam, Lipstick and Alma Paprika.

Memorial Day saw summer canning start again. 

Our first batch of pickled green garlic.

Parade of Peppers III - Beaver Dam

The Beaver Dam peppers is a Hungarian heirloom which was grown and cultivated by a family in Beaver Dam WI.

This is a sweet pepper that is mildly hot. It is large and great for stuffing. It turns from green to yellow to red. Small plants with a few large peppers - not very prolific but worth it because the result is so tasty and beautiful.

Orange Thai Pepper

We had 3 Orange Thai pepper plants. It's a cayenne-type pepper that we plan on drying.

It needs 80 - 90 days for fruit to fully develop and since we were so late getting our plants in, the green fruit didn't ripen on the plant fully. There are hundreds of little peppers on these plants. I didn't have time to harvest all of the peppers so we just cut the plant at the base. Instead of picking off all of the green fruit, we hung it in our backyard in Chicago and the fruits are beginning to turn orange.

It is hanging on an antique tobacco dryer

Growing paprika

We grew Alma Paprika (Capsicum annuum) at the farm this year and it is was gorgeous. A short plant with lush leaves and fruit that starts white and progresses to orange and then red. It is an heirloom and great for drying and grinding.

Only 20 tomatoes?

I started my seeds today. Looove the block maker. If you are a seed starter and don't have one do yourself a favor. While I was making blocks, Bill and I discussed starting less tomatoes this year. We thought 20 seemed about right. However, after planting I ended up with 36. Since there are over 70 pepper plants on the list, you can see we are experimenting with the 3 Flat Acres dried peppers and blends this fall.

My starter mix is a concoction of worm castings, vermiculite, coconut coir and a bit of organic potting soil

This little implement is amazing!

I use my mother-in-law's old baking pans to start seeds

I sprinkle No-Damp Off on the topUnder the lights they go

Here is the list of what I planted:

PEPPERS

Jalapeno - 5

Chile de Comida - 5

Romanian Hot Pepper - 5

Paprika - 12

Czeck Black - 12

Mini Sweet Bell - 12

Quadrato Dasti Giallo - 15

Hot Portugal Pepper - 10

TOMATOES

Green Zebra Tomato - 5

Yellow Brandywine - 5

Principe Borghese - 6

Purple Russian - 6

Illini Star - 14

GREENS

Green Chard - 5

Yellow Chard - 5

Red Chard -5

Red Ursa Kale - 5

HERBS

Summer Savory - 5

Dill - 5

Clary Sage - 5

Sorrel - 5

Fennel - 5

Basil - 10

Russian Tarragon - 5

Sweet Majoram - 5

Yesterday, in the Chicago backyard, I planted: arugula, purple mustard greens, regular mustard greens and in the cold frame some beets. Need a couple of more pepper varieties (Jimmy Nardelo - yum!), more kale and a couple different types of basil.