On gardens and summer’s end

In true Michigan form, the end of summer is providing the best weather of the season.

Thank goodness.

It looks like the tomato plants – although still looking quite spindly and less than glamorous – will provide enough luscious red gems to fill pints and quarts for the cold weather that looms just over the horizon. Just a few weeks ago, I was certain that the green tomatoes clinging to the vines would fail to ripen – as were lots of other folks who enjoy gardening.

All they wanted was some warm weather and sunshine – thank goodness, that was part of the weather equation in the past few weeks. Gardens – and people – grow better when they’re embraced by warmth, it seems.

While the tomatoes were less than bountiful, my green and yellow beans have been super productive. Long, slender beans have been a staple on the dinner table for lots of meals, tasting fresh and delicious.

Since the bean harvest was so good, we took a chance and tried freezing some this year. My mom got in on the act, snipping the ends – a task she really doesn’t like any better now than she did years ago as a young girl growing up on Forest Hill Road in Riley Township.

"Now, who would want to eat these little fellers?" she asks as she clips the ends from the yellow and green veggies.

Well, she probably will this winter. That conversation can wait for another day.

A new addition to the garden this year looked very pretty, but, perhaps like other people, we failed to find a good use for eggplant. A dip recipe was truly horrid, and the addition of eggplant to a very nice shrimp stir-fry yielded mixed reviews from the diners.

"It really doesn’t have much of a taste, does it?" was the comment heard most often.

Any eggplant suggestions are appreciated – there are still a few purple treats left to be picked.

After three planting attempts, I did manage to get enough peas to semi-satisfy Gwendolyn – a true lover of peas eaten straight from the pod. She even shared a few with her brother – although Caleb was always more interested in scouting the field for the potential appearance of Tug’s (Gordon Schrader) tractor than he was in eating peas.

As usual, my attempt at sweet corn was a complete failure. I really don’t know why I even try – the words stupidity and stubborn come to mind; a bit of both, perhaps. This year’s crop was quite possibly the worst ever. The old saying for field corn of "A foot high by the Fourth of July," was appropriate for Labor Day – not exactly what you need to produce ears of yummy corn.

There’s always next year.

Like lots of other things in life, maybe eventually I’ll get it right.