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!