Lettuce in June

The Cala Lilies we’re moved to the fish pond last weekend, This heavy pot is large, as is this cultivar. If kept wet, it should continue to send up it’s 6 foot stems all summer. In the fall, it returns to the cold greenhouse.

Home grown lettuce and organic greens are extraordinary This red lettuce is OK, but the real gem is the Lollo green head behind it. The seeds may cost nearly $2.00 each, but the cultivar is supreme, and of a quality found in the finest New York restaurants.

French Radishes are tasty, and although not very perfect, I admit I didn’t fuss with them this year. Still, they are organic, and delicious, even when over grown by a few weeks like these. My mother would make a Lithuanian soup with these greens, along with Sorrel, Pork or Duck Cracklin’s, wild mushrooms and potato.
One would think that garden blog posts in June could happen every hour, and they could. But as any good gardener knows, this is indeed, the high season for garden chores and tasks. Today, time is precious enough with work, family, guests and American Idol…oh yes, and blog posting!. My apologies for not posting last week, I was sick with a strep throat, out of work for a week, and still recovering, while catching up at the office and in the studio. The garden chores are backed up, just planting tomato plants now, and helping elderly neighbors plant theirs. So off we go on this glorious Sunday. My college friend Jeannie is here from Hawaii via Minneapolis, which is like having family visit. Mostly, it means time cooking seasonally together in the kitchen, and having more friends over. SO off for now, here are just some pics to hold you all of what’s happening in the garden. There is SO much to report on, perhaps later tonight. Joe just ran up this morning into my office with a handful of baby ducks, the incubator was a bit noisy apparently, and we have new additions to the family. Off to find lightbulbs and a box to keep them warm, and to keep Margaret away from them.

Drama in the garden…..I looks as if the bees are swarming, but actually, we just opened the hives to check on honey productions, and the smokers forces the bees onto the front of the supers. Note our new English hives on the left with copper roofs.