Diary 8/16/11

The garden is in full swing now with the advent of corn soon.  The red raspberries are going to take a short break this next week or two and then the fall crop will set and it looks like it will be a heavy production.  We checked the watermelons.  To pick a ripe watermelon, you check the tendril where the melon is attached and the tendrils to each side of that one on the vine.  If they are dry, then you know they are no longer feeding the melon and it is ready to pick.  With the cantaloupes, the stem separates and it is obviously finished. We even harvested some of the first small pumpkins that were orange. It is a bounty right now with everything from spinach through carrots to tomatoes, melons, and winter squash!