May is always the very end of our summer harvest. Once we get a big frost, any summer plants that are left in the garden die. The work of the garden drops back, and we get some of the other jobs around the farm completed.
Harvesting
Before the frost came, we did get a few last tomatoes, along with capsicums, and chillies. I strung the chillies on some fishing line, and hung them up to dry for a few weeks. Once they are dry, I will make our own chilli flakes with them.
We have started harvesting the sprouting broccoli (delicious) and kale (also yummy), and there are plenty of carrots in the ground which we go out and pick as we need them. The cabbages, and cauliflowers are coming along well, and it won’t be long till we start harvesting them too!
The rhubarb is over grown, and I have been meaning to go out and pick a big lot of it to make jam with. Time permitting! There is also plenty of silver beet, chives, and parsley, and I often take a bunch to work to use with my students. The parsley took a good beating several times when the chickens got in the yard (some child forgot to close the gate…), but it seems to have rallied now!
Planting
Much of the planting has already happened before the soil gets too cold, however, Country Boy still has to put in a few more rows of onions in the next few weeks.
CB has also planted out several rows of broad beans. We are already looking forward to broad beans on toast next spring. They need to get a little bigger first though…
The long vegetable bed on the western side has mostly been cleaned out now, though there are the brassicas down one end. Country Boy has planted a green manure crop when the corn was over the summer to renew the soil, and has mulched much of the other areas to give the soil a rest for a little while.
Things to do in June.
As I said before, it really is the quietest time of year in the garden. There is a little more clearing of the beds to do, as well some mulching, and some more onions to plant. No doubt then, it will soon be time to start planning the spring garden. These things come around so fast.
I’m joining the Garden Share Collective with a round up of what’s happening in my garden.
Your garden is amazing, and your photos are gorgeous as ever. My veggie patch is a postage stamp compared to yours. How do you get your rhubarb to grow so well? Has it been in the ground a long time?
Oh you have a huge garden, lovely that you can plant green manure crops and rest some of them in between. Ditto your huge carrot, that soil must be lovely and friable. Mmm I envy your brassicas – too hot to grow them here in the tropics.
Thanks – I'm on to it!
Yes I just bake pieces and mash them with a fork, about 3/4 a cup. To make them even more heavenly use coconut milk and cook with coconut oil. Pour them a small size and not too thick or they take too long to cook. Enjoy
I've found that our carrots have got straighter as the beds have been used a few times. Possibly the dirt becomes softer so they don't twist (just a guess). We do get a few odd shaped ones from time to time. CB does like pumpkin soup, and pumpkin cake, but I will definitely try some pumpkin pancakes – is it just pureed pumpkin in a pancake mix??
The pumpkins are ironbark, musque de provence, acorn squash, and the usual butternuts.
Will definitely look up that rhubarb recipe – thanks!
Stunning pics Jo. Your husbands dislike of pumpkins made me giggle as you have such a gorgeous collection there. Have you tried pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup and bacon – that may change his mind. Beautiful carrots, I am always very excited when I get a straight one as they are mostly pretty bent up (and hard to peel) Luckily no one seems to mind as they tastes so good! Have a wonderful month.
Wow look at your carrot – so much bigger than mine. I am just so happy I have finally grown some that have worked. So the frosts have started, I love those mornings when you walk out on the grass and it is crunchy underfoot and your footprints are all that are left when you walk out upon it. Do you know what variety of pumpkins they are.
Hi there ~ love to read about your garden. Even though we live in Tasmania we are at about the same stage ~ your garden is a bit ahead of us. Just looking at your rhubarb ~ have you tried Sparkling Rhubarb? I made a batch and it is lovely. Sally Wise who has written some excellent cookbooks, who lives in Tassie, has a recipe for it on her blog. Google it. So worth it. I have the same prob ~ MOTH (Man of the House) isn't a fan of pumpkin either so always trying ways to disguise it! Have a wonderful Winter – keep warm.