September has been incredible in Portland this year. I can’t recall one day of rain. It’s been truly spectacular. Alas, the calendar swears it’s fall.
The arrival of fall has made me reflect on my summer vegetable garden. The results were uneven (at best): lettuce good, radishes bad, parsley good, squash bad, pumpkins very bad. We had a pretty gloomy June, which may explain some of the failures (darn, I hate that word). However, it was good just to see green things growing in my garden and to literally not buy lettuce for two months straight. But since I’m a very beginning gardener, and in the spirit of spin (for those of you following the presidential election), I’m going to call this year’s garden “a raging success!”
It’s been said a kajillion times, but really, is there any greater pleasure than eating from one’s own garden? Just look at this:
Tomato-Bacon-Peach Salad with Basil
The tomato and basil came from my garden. Amazing!
Au revoir, ete. I’m sorry to see you go. Until next year, mon ami.
A Foodie's Fall from Grace 
Welcome back,
I hope you enjoyed your vacation! This picture is stunning, and the garden goodies look delicious! I was so proud of my one tennis ball sized pumpkin…then the frost came. Now I just have an 8 foot long vine of slime (sigh). The way I see it (of course I’m a notorious plant killer) anything that’s green, weather it bears fruit or not, is a success.
Thanks, AM! What is it with pumpkins in Oregon?! I have tried every year for the past three years and nothing!
does it get hot enough in PDX for pumpkins? they need
lots of uninterrupted heat…from the looks of the pumpkin
fields in the valley the big farmers must have had your same
problem this year.
my garden went berserk ( too much stuff) next year im
only going with basil…it perks up everything plus it
makes a good all purpose deordrizer..
Hola Madre,
Hmmmm. Maybe we don’t get enough heat. But there are huge pumpkin patches out on the local farms here, so they must be doing something right…like importing sun and exporting rain, who knows.
Hey Mel,
I had trouble with my pumpkins and watermelons too, the three that made it didn’t get very big. Something kept eating the roots up.. looked like little ants.. The okra has done very well!!! I’m trying some broccoli and some red onions now. I had quite a pretty garden this year as I planted flowers in all the boxes with the veggies.. I won’t do that again as they got out of hand.. ( ask Madre).
We had our first real good rain this weekend. So I didn’t have to water anything today. The chickens seemed to enjoy it.
Hi Normajean,
Welcome to my blog, sister! Literally!
First, okra is so gross! Ugh! And you’re actually GROWING it?! That’s crazy.
I would love to have some chickens. In Portland, you can have three in your backyard (no roosters). But since I don’t eat eggs now, it kind of seems like more trouble than it’s worth. I’d also love mini goats and a couple of ducks, which are also allowed in city limits. I’m thinking goats could eat my English ivy, but I have yet to convince The Man on that one.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
wow you can have all those animals…
id go for the goat…
think of the cheese you could make and im sure (he or she)
would the ivy…
I HAVE thought of the cheese I could make!