Dear Garden,

When I returned from camping, I saw that you have been enjoying the frequent rains. I found many veggies either producing or nearly ready. My harvest included: eggplant, cucumbers, squash, green beans, kohlrabi, and carrots. I noticed that the tomatillo are setting and that the okra will produce soon. The tomato plants are doing well, but with these continued cool nights (which I love) I don’t expect much ripe fruit. Maybe a bit latter. Anyway, I have enough veggies for a batch of mixed pickles, and I will make another eggplant Parmesan, which I freeze in one person servings.

                                                                                                                      My harvest

I am now calling the unplanted rows of the garden a “fallow” section. I observed this year that the rows I didn’t plant last year (due to drought)  are doing extremely well now. So I am expecting the fallow section from this year will do likewise next year. It is a nice outcome to being too busy to finish planting this year-those rows are now fallow.

I wonder, lovely garden, how you are enjoying the air quality and temperatures this summer, compared to last summer. Last year the air was so dry and smoke-filled, I never wanted to get outside. Temperatures were in the 90s most days. I remember feeling like the world was burning up. One year later, we have cooler days, daily rain showers and light breezes. I have two quilts on my bed at night, already!  Driving to and from Colorado, I notice that the countryside (pasture) is still green, or greening up again from the rain. I have never seen SE Wyoming green in August.

I must get on with my day; I must finish a sermon, do home visits, weed the flower beds and do some laundry before I take off camping again Sunday afternoon! Better get to it.

Your grateful gardener,    Jane

Dear Grateful,

We love being in the previously fallow soil. It is so rich and full of nutrients. Don’t forget to take more pix because people are going to think you are exaggerating again about 9 foot sunflowers.

As a reminder, you built us up using 50% grass clippings. The current fallow section would also love a nice, dried grass topping, and we have a huge pile from this year’s mowing standing by.

Yes, we love the clean air and cool temperatures, but our warm-blooded brethren—tomatoes, okra—are not so happy. They need a blast of heat to make more progress.

We could use more weeding soon, but things are going great overall. Thanks for your commitment and hard work.

xoxox   Your garden at its luscious peak

Related articles

• Nancy’s Almanac, Aug. 1, 2013: Gardens love cool weather (omaha.com)
• Seasonal Vegetarian Cooking: Inspired by Johnson’s (veggieofmyeye.wordpress.com)