Swiss Chard and Cucumbers

 

 The New Farmer and the Farmer's Wife, with the help of some rain, have done themselves proud  while I was gone. I think that one of the most stunning of the the garden plants is Swiss chard. The leaves are an iridescent green and the ribs can be amazing colors. In this case the the ribs are crimson. These greens are great with a blanch and the the ribs cut thinly cook up well for a crunchy counter point. We are likely to have chard from now on for most of the winter.

Oddly at the same time we are getting a second crop of cucumbers. They are growing, not as quickly, and continuing to bloom. With the onions, cucumbers and tomatoes I may be able to make a late season gazpacho.  I will certainly enjoy some fresh cucumbers with the pickles.

Here is the curly kale. The cooler weather seems to have limited the caterpillars.  This kale was just stubs eaten off to the grown and now I have great leaves and will be able to cook them in the next few weeks.
Finally the fennel is starting to look healthy with new shoots and the beginning a bulb at the bottom of the stalk, There is so much more to show that I will have to feature other plants tomorrow.


With all the produce that has been picked I have almost 5KG in weight to add.
Now the total is 185.991KG for the year