Well, its that time of the year, while parts of the garden, like spuds, corn and squash are going strong in their own area’s there are many others that are either ready for harvest or ready to have their area pulled of finished plants and if you are lucky enough to live in a area that has spring, summer and fall, to be replanted.

I am unsure why and where came the idea that you plant once in spring (on may long weekend) and then you harvest and you are done when you are done.. but I know that for me at least in my zone 5a here in the Ottawa valley, that is just thrown out of the window, partly because our weather has been changing by the year (who’s has not) but last year we were harvesting our first baby eating potato’s at the end of may! Two years ago, while we got one or two frost nipped nights, we then had almost another six weeks till the next good frost, I was bringing in fresh rasberries to harvest and enjoy into Nov..

Now of course, I am not above cheating, I use hot box’s, greenhouses, row covers and all kinds of other tricks to add heat in the spring, and to protect from frost and give that added bit of warm in the fall.

Still, the past couple weeks have been crazy on the farm, so while we should have been planting (and we did get some done) most of the time we have been off and running.. so its been a joy this week to get out and get more harvesting done, and to get many many more rows planted.. Dh got five more piggy plots planted out at the end of july and they are all up and growing to beat the band, I am redoing all the hotbox’s, and will be working on the greenhouse and getting it re-started for fall..

I am also starting seed saving, my vine dried pea’s where ready this week for harvest, radishs are coming right along and so are nettle seeds, the burdock plants are ready to be cut, burned and the roots harvested, ideally something we will be getting done this weekend. A whole bunch of bigger beets got pulled but with them came the smaller baby beets.. so yummy.. I like to steam them, slip the skins and serve them with just butter and salt/pepper.. the hounds begged for fresh beets more then they do when its meat on the plate, they love, LOVE beets!

What is your favorite way to serve fresh baby beets out of the garden? my favorite way of all, and I have many of them is beets in a creamy milk sauce.. o my…