We have reached the point in the season when the bean plants succumb to the overwhelming assault of bean beetles. The poor plants look skeletal, though some of them are still making a feeble attempt at seed production.

But fewer beans to pick means I have more time for wrangling the tomatoes, which have been left to grow unchecked for too long, tangling with each other and consorting with the equally unruly butternut vines. I also pulled up most of the summer squash plants this week, which had become tired and wilted. A second planting may provide us with another wave of yellow squash in a week or two, though.

Despite all of the waning crops, the garden is still blessing us with abundance. The now mostly contained tomato vines hang heavy with ripening fruit, the okra plants give more pods every week, and the jalapeno plants drip with deep green peppers. The cucamelon vines, too, have taken over part of the garden fence and threaten to invade the yard, and I pick a good handful of the crunchy little cucumbers every other day (I need to plant more next year!).

On my table at the Broadway Community Market tomorrow:

• tomatoes (slicing, paste, and cherry)
• beans (last ones!)
• jalapenos (first ones!)
• okra (lots)
• cucamelons (a few)
• garlic
• dilly beans
• garlic salt
• dish cloths
• skillet handle covers
• Swiffer covers
• fishbowl baby toy
• notecards

It looks like we should have some nice weather again tomorrow, with only a slight chance of a stray shower.

See you at the market!

There are many things to love about summer, but from the time I start seeds in late winter, I’m looking forward to that moment when I sink my teeth into a tomato sandwich. Mine involves homemade bread, sharp cheddar, real mayo, and layered slices of juicy red tomato, preferably enjoyed on the porch swing (pictured above with cucamelons, dilly beans, and mint tea). I can eat that for lunch every day and not get tired of it.

The tomato varieties I grow vary a bit from year to year, as I figure out what grows best in my garden. This summer, I have four varieties growing: Amish paste, druzba, green zebra, and red currant.

Amish paste. Coreless, flavorful, and fleshy with few seeds, these heirlooms make excellent sauce. They can also get quite large, which I find makes processing go faster (fewer tomatoes to peel!).

Druzba. This slicing tomato is new to me, and I chose it for its resistance to cracking, end rot, and disease. An heirloom from Bulgaria, it produces beautiful, round fruits with a wonderful, fruity flavor perfect for sandwiches.

Green zebra. Although I almost always choose heirlooms, I can’t resist planting a few green zebras every year. These green-striped yellow tomatoes reveal a startlingly bright green interior when sliced and have a bright, almost lemony flavor.

Red currant. A wild cherry tomato from South America, this heirloom produces tiny but intensely flavored fruits with thick skin and a sweet, berry-like burst. Perfect for snacking or salads.

In addition to all four of these tomato varieties, you can find the following on my table at the Broadway Community Market tomorrow morning:

• okra
• beans
• lima beans
• cucamelons (bite-sized cucumbers)
• garlic
• dilly beans
• garlic salt
• handmade items

See you at the market!

On Monday, the first day of this new month and the week, I listened to the song of a crow while picking beans. It is a harsh sound, that repeated caw, but to call it anything other than a song would be unfair. Crows seem to know when our calendar pages turn to August, though they follow different, more fluid cycles. And just as mourning doves invite the warmer months, crows are the heralds of fall.

But now, it is August, and summer. I still have plenty of fresh beans, okra, zucchini, and yellow squash, as well as dilly beans and a few bottles of garlic salt. In addition to the produce, you can also find my handmade fishbowl stuff and spill toy, dishcloths, skillet handle covers, and Swiffer covers, and notecards featuring my husband’s photography at the Broadway Community Market tomorrow.

Late summer is when produce really starts coming in. Things I’m looking forward to in August:

Tomatoes. I’ve been snacking on a few cherry tomatoes here and there (and you might see some at the market tomorrow!), but the paste and slicing tomatoes are just starting to blush. In fact, I harvested the first paste tomato this morning! It’s not summer, though, till I’ve had a tomato sandwich. Next week, I think!

Jalapenos. These, too, are just about ready. The jalapeno plants are producing well this year, and those spicy peppers are plumping up nicely. With both tomatoes and jalapenos coming on at the same time, we have the perfect conditions for salsa making!

Lima beans. When I checked on my lima beans this morning, I was surprised to discover a few pods ripe for the picking – and ended up with well over a quart! This is one of my experimental crops this year, so I don’t have any experience with it, but I think there’s a good chance you’ll see some at the market next week.

See you at the market!