Random musings..

Lorraine Johnson joined me on the radio show this past Sunday.. and she was fantastic! So interesting.. we only covered a few of the topics I had hoped to talk about in the half hour we had.. next time, I need to book her for a full hour! Here's a photo of her book cover.. it was a lovely summer read for a gardener.. by this time of the year, I'm tired of glossy how-to type books and want to fall into a gardening adventure.. this book had ample stories (which often made me laugh out loud!) and an important message.. plus, it got me thinking of all the ways that we city dwellers could be growing more food! Think - empty lots, boulevards, rooftops, front yards and more!

Lorraine also has chickens! And her poultry adventures are detailed in a chapter, aptly named, 'What the Cluck'.. In Halifax, the by-law will hopefully allow backyard chickens in the next year or so and we're been thinking about it for several years.. hmmmmm..

In the garden, the lavender is at its peak right now - the fragrant buds are just about to open! We picked thick handfuls of it early yesterday morning and will hung small bunches to dry. Once the spears are completely dry, we'll use them in sachets for tucking into drawers and under pillows.. who wouldn't love to drift off to sleep surrounded by the soothing scent of lavender..

I often plant lavender as a low-growing evergreen border at the front of my perennial gardens and also I have a few clumps at the entrance to the veggie patch. I love the look of a lavender hedge and the fragrance of lavender instantly transports me back to my childhood.. Plus, the bees and beneficial insects absolutely LOVE it!

The first kohlrabi was harvested last night! I sliced it up, along with a handful of Japanese turnips to go with dinner.. Raw, it has such a nice flavour.. mind you, kohlrabi is also great stir-fried.. The Purple Vienna kohlrabi aren't quite ready yet.. hopefully in the next week or so! I also started a few more seeds indoors for a fall crop of kohlrabi.. The seedlings are up and will be transplanted into the garden in 2 to 3 weeks.. By mid-Sept, we'll be enjoying another crop of crispy kohlrabi!

The pole beans are also doing well - most are about 4 to 5 feet tall now.. and hopefully will start producing soon! I can't wait for the first crop of beans.. so good steamed with butter and salt! When the deer invaded last month, they nibbled on a few of the pole beans.. the stubs that were left have actually recovered and I tucked a few more seeds in too - just in case! I hate to say it, but the fact that some of the pole beans will be delayed (thanks to the deer), means we'll have a longer season of harvest.. I just hope the deer stay away! We saw a big doe just outside the garden a few nights ago and she wasn't easily scared away.. and just yesterday, we saw a doe and a fawn just down the road..

It's going to be a hot one today and the rain that threatened yesterday never materialized.. so, it's time to get out and water!

Happy Gardening!