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Summer Squash – Delicate in flavor with a soft shell and creamy white flesh, summer squash are a perfect addition to any summer meal. Best available fresh from the garden between May and July, the summer squash come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. We like to grill them on the barbque as well as serving them paper thin, finished with extra virgin olive oil and freshly shaved parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts. |
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”The summer's sun creates the light and warmth that draws our plants into flower and fruit. As gardeners, once our summer gardens are planted we are able to sit back and watch this miraculous process develop. At harvest time when we consume the summer's bounty we should remember that we are actually filling our bodies with that light and warmth.“
~ Degge Hays, Head Gardener |
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| Basil |
Sweet, Aroma 1, Super Sweet Chen, Greek, Verde a Palla, Lemon |
| Beans |
Blue Lake Bush, Carson Yellow Wax, Black Coco, Coco Bianco |
| Corn |
Italian Polenta |
| Cucumber |
Sweet Slice, Green Finger, Pepinex English, Tyria, Striped Armenian, Armenian |
| Eggplant |
Pingtung Long, Mangan F1, Bride, Little Fingers, Black Beauty, Long Purple Italian, Nadia, Dancer F1 |
| Flowers - Celosias |
Amish Cockscomb, Scarlet Fire, Red Flame, Burgundy Supercrest |
| Flowers- Zinnias |
Cut and Come Again, Peggy’s Delight, Pastel Dream |
| Melons |
Hale’s Best, Hearts of Gold, Haogen, Green Nutmeg, Sharlyn, Early Silverline, Petit Gris De Rennes, Arava, Ambrosia, Savor |
| Parsley |
Plain Leaf |
| Peppers, Hot |
Early Jalapeno, Hidalgo, Cayenne Ring O Fire, Zavory, Numex Sunrise, Hungarian Hot Wax, Aji Crystal, Georgia Flame, Hot Portugal, Espanola Improved, Ancho Gigante, Piquillo, Padron |
| Peppers, Sweet |
Cal Wonder, Jupiter, Orion, Gourmet, Golden Cal Wonder, Orange Bell, Little Bells, Chocolate Beauty, Purple Beauty, Lipstick, Apple, Red Ruffled, Tangerine, Tennessee Cheese, Marconi Red, Carmen F1, Golden Treasure, Tejas F1, Frigitello, Jimmy Nardello |
| Potatoes |
French Fingerling, Yellow Finn, Rose-Finn Apple, Red Lasoda |
| Pumpkins |
Howden, Young’s Beauty, Small Sugar, Speckled Hound, Moonshine, Casper, Jarrahdale |
| Squash, Summer |
Anton, Soleil, Costata Romanesco, Dark Green, Goldy |
| Squash, Winter |
Musque de Provence, Galeux d ‘Eysines, Marina di Chioggia, Orangetti, Delicata, Butternut, Futsu Black, Uchiki Kuri, Lakota |
| Sunflowers |
Red Sun, Discovery, Teddy Bear, Tiger’s Eye, Velvet Queen, Italian White, Evening Sun |
| Tomatoes, Cherry |
Super Sweet 100, Sun Gold, Fruity, Ladybug, Zebra, Brown Berry, Chocolate, Flammee, Isis Candy, Yellow Mini, Snow White |
| Tomatoes, Heirloom |
Thessaloniki, Box Car Willie, Red Zebra, Brandywine, Pruden’s Purple, Caspian Pink, Striped German, Valencia, Gold Medal, Mandarin Cross, Green Zebra, Cherokee Green, Tangerine, Limmony, Black Prince, Japanese Black Trifele, Paul Robeson, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Cherokee Chocolate, Rose |
| Tomatoes, Paste |
San Marzano, San Marzano Redorta, Black Plum, Purple Russian, Powers Heirloom, Speckled Roman |
| Watermelons |
Blacktail Mountail, Sorbet Swirl, New Orchid, Crimson Sweet |
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Check watering systems to assure proper function
during the summer's heat.
Apply mulch around plants to retain moisture
and reduce weeds.
Sucker tomatoes and hill your potatoes.
Fertilize throughout the summer: initially with
a nitrogen based fertilizer ~
at flowering and fruiting with a fertilizer high in
phosphorus and potassium.
Stake and trellis plants early so they do not
become unruly.
Harvest regularly so you don't become overwhelmed
~ can your surplus veggies.
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Tomatoes need to be supported off the
ground to keep them free of disease and to conserve space. |
Tying Tomatoes
One simple way to trellis a row of tomatoes is as follows:
After thinning seedlings to two main branches, place a
stake in the ground every four plants, with one at each
end of the row. Vining tomatoes need long stakes and bush
varieties take a short stake.
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The plants are sandwiched between two strings that are
strung from stake to stake crossing in the middle (every
two plants). Starting about 6 inches off the ground, tie
a new pair of strings every 6 inches as the plants grow
upward. |
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Tree Painting
This summer we painted the trunks of our fruit trees with
a biodynamic tree paint solution composed of equal parts
clay and fresh cow manure (which acts as a binder) mixed
with enough water to reach paint consistency.
The paint protects the trunk from summer sunburn and blocks
possible entry points for insects and disease. The paint
also acts as an organic “mud pack” for the
trunk and aids in healing lesions and renewing the bark
underneath.
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Flowers not only provide a splash of color and charm,
they encourage beneficial insects to your garden habitat.
In our gardens, you'll see any combinations of sunflowers,
borage, sweet peas, nasturitium, cosmos, Echinacea, sweet
peas, Yarrow, coreopsis, Alyssum, to name a few ... |
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We wait with anticipation
for our fall planted bulbs
to emerge - tulips,
daffodils, muscari |
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These big, cheerful blossoms
"volunteer" from seeds
and
past harvests to bring
sunshine into our garden.
They provide pollen for
beneficial insects as well.
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Herbs... evocative of Tuscany & Provence enrich the soup
as well
as the soul! Stroll our gardens and you'll find...
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"Gigante d'Italia" Parsley
This old Northern Italian variety boasts big, deep-green,
shiny leaves with sweet, mellow flavors. Vigorous and
robust, the "Gigante" can be harvested liberally throughout
the season. |
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"Bronze" Fennel
This variety is prized for its beautiful coppery-bronze
fronds and its sweet, yet soft, anise flavors. Try toasting
the seeds and sprinkling on homemade breads or use the
lacy leaves in your salads or over grilled fish. A favorite
of butterflies, too! |
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"Russian" Sage
A little bit of fresh sage really enhances tomato and
eggplant dishes. More traditionally we'll put it in our
holiday poultry stuffings; but "Sage Brown Butter Sauce"
over tortellini really reveals this herb's true essence! |
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Rosemary
No garden should be without a rosemary bush! This evergreen
has a reputation for strengthening memory, enhancing fidelity,
and can be enjoyed year-round in milder climates. Rosemary
grilled chicken or lamb is a perfect pairing with our
Zinfandel! |
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"Genova" Basil
This Italian variety is a favorite for pesto due to its
intense, perfumed flavor. A vigorous producer, the "Genova"
can be harvested in abundance throughout a long growing
season. Great added to soups and casseroles. We plant
ours among the tomato vines. |
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"French" Thyme
This Provencal variety makes a pretty shrub with cascading
stems of tiny leaves. Legend has it that "French Thyme"
provides a secret home for garden fairies! But we find
that it adds something special to our soups, stews, and
grilled foods. |
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Lavender "Grosso"
The most widely grown lavender in Provence is named for
its French breeder, M. Pierre Grosso. Bigger, more colorful,
and more fragrant than most other lavenders, these cultivars
have both culinary and cosmetic uses. Stash some in your
drawers or sprinkle of tops of desserts. |
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