A big week of transitions at Putney Farm. Firstly, the heat has settled in and our spring crops are at their end, while summer crops are coming in. And most of us will be on the road for the next few weeks, so we decided to harvest all of our remaining spring crops and either eat them or give them to friends. This meant the last harvest of blueberries, lettuces (for now) and sugar snap peas. While a bit sad that the blueberries are over, they lasted into July again- nothing to complain about. What saddens us a bit more is leaving our garden and orchard during such a good season.

And there are so many crops just coming in. Our peaches came in and we ate them, made peach-lavender jam and preserved them in simple syrup (and made cocktails). Nectarines next week. Our radishes, zucchini and cucumbers are booming and they go into salads and pickles. Carrots, green beans and peppers just came in, and we just got our first sweet 100 tomatoes. We have a number of melons growing (and looking good) and the eggplant looks promising. And of course the strawberries are just booming. Never better.

When we return we should see all the tomatoes, eggplant, melons and peppers at their peak. In the orchard we should have more nectarines, another peach, figs, blackberries and some fully ripe gravenstein apples (maybe the macintosh as well). Things may go wrong and varmints may beat our defenses, but we can’t help feeling that this is a special year and we shouldn’t miss a minute.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but we are already very much in love with our garden now. Happily, we are going to one of the best areas in the world for fresh seafood and produce…perhaps that will  soften the blow. And some time at the beach tends to clear the mind. Happy summer!

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• Orchard Update: Red Haven Peach Harvest! (putneyfarm.com)
• Peaches! And Updates From The Orchard and Garden (putneyfarm.com)
• Orchard Update: The Battle Begins! (putneyfarm.com)
• Heavy Branches and the Lonely Peach (putneyfarm.com)
• Garden Update: Planting and Harvesting (putneyfarm.com)
• The Rewards of the Garden (putneyfarm.com)
• Bonus Cocktail: The Orchard Moonraker (putneyfarm.com)