Pausing to enjoy the harvest

The fast growth of spring and early summer is behind us and we’re now enjoying a brief pause as the crops finish their march towards ripeness. My daily tasks have moved from massive weeding to select harvesting, which is an enjoyable change.

Well, actually, I simply gave up on weeding and starting spraying our Morning Glory weed (er, beautiful plant that is growing in the wrong spot) with a combination of white vinegar, salt, and soap. After researching the futility of  pulling MG’s roots (they just send out more runners), I’ve decided to follow the wisdom of attacking the plant through its prolific leaves.

The #1 highlight of this month came as a gift when I heard my son exclaim, “I’m going outside to get a snack!” and then heard the back door slam closed. The kids just wander through the gardens, eating and exploring, while their parents look on with smiles and joy.

The #2 highlight of the month came during one of my frequent evening sessions with my daughter, slicing and drying our tomatoes and tomatillos. As we worked to transform them into delicious sun-dried versions of themselves, crunchy with eye-popping flavor, the six year old commented “I want to grow food with you when I grow up, Daddy. Can that be my job?”.