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For The Love of Harvests

May 23rd, 2012

This time of year the harvest basket starts to fill with delicious goodness. No longer is it just greens of various shapes and sizes and a few straggling overwintered leeks. Last week we picked our very first strawberry, just one delicous berry and which we split. Then Friday evening, Mr Chiots harvested a few handfuls. On Monday – an entire bowlful. These are ‘Earlyglow’ strawberries from Nourse Farms that I planted five years ago.

Yesterday morning we had strawberry shortcake for breakfast (here’s my recipe for anyone who wants it). No spongy sweet cake, we’re a lightly sweetened biscuit family, which is crumbled into a bowl, topped with strawberries and smothered in milk.

I also harvested my first garlic scapes yesterday, which we enjoyed sautéed over swiss chard. Can you believe swiss chard has never graced my plate before?

What are you enjoying from your harvest basket this week?

18 Comments to “For The Love of Harvests”
  1. daisy on May 23, 2012 at 8:14 am

    Those strawberries look SO good! I’m planning to harvest some basil to make some pesto for the freezer.

    Reply to daisy's comment

  2. Melissa on May 23, 2012 at 8:17 am

    So how’d you like the chard? It’s one of my favorite greens! Like spinach but better!

    Reply to Melissa's comment

    • Susy on May 23, 2012 at 9:33 am

      It was great – we sautéed it with some garlic scopes and butter and topped it with a splash of balsamic.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  3. gabe on May 23, 2012 at 8:38 am

    I’m still on radishes and greens, but the peas aren’t too far off. Our Earliglow strawberries are close, but I guess since you’re a little south of us, yours come a little earlier… I can’t wait!

    Reply to gabe's comment

  4. Songbirdtiff on May 23, 2012 at 8:38 am

    Oh how I wish I was harvesting right now! We are just now able to enjoy some herbs, but it won’t be long before we have tomatoes. Can’t wait!

    Reply to Songbirdtiff's comment

  5. Gayle on May 23, 2012 at 8:51 am

    I have both swiss chard and garlic scapes ready for harvest. How did you prepare your swiss chard dish please?

    Reply to Gayle's comment

    • Susy on May 23, 2012 at 9:34 am

      Sauteed with butter and garlic scopes then topped with freshly ground salt/pepper and a splash of balsamic. Quite tasty indeed!

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Gayle on May 23, 2012 at 10:38 am

        Thank you Susy…that is on the menu for tonight!

        to Gayle's comment

  6. Allison on May 23, 2012 at 9:08 am

    those strawberries look delicious! I can’t wait formy scapes to be ready – I love the make a salad dressing with them!

    Reply to Allison's comment

  7. Andrea Duke on May 23, 2012 at 10:12 am

    I noticed I have scapes too, but haven’t harvested any yet. I have had a few cucumbers (boston pickling), radishes, lettuces, peas, onions and a few yellow squash.

    I have never had chard before, but have myself convinced I wouldn’t like it :)

    Reply to Andrea Duke's comment

  8. Maybelline on May 23, 2012 at 10:47 am

    Boysenberries, strawberries, various herbs, beets, carrots, and green onions.

    Reply to Maybelline's comment

  9. Cristy on May 23, 2012 at 11:11 am

    I’m just seeing tiny green strawberries on my plants up in Wisconsin. I am so excited for fresh strawberries, I’m watching them every day! Your bowl of strawberries looks amazing, and your recipe for shortcake sounds delicious!

    Reply to Cristy's comment

  10. Joy Giles on May 23, 2012 at 11:42 am

    Here in Austin, Texas, we are harvesting tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans and potatoes. We’ve had great rain, for once. Cantaloupe are thinking about setting and the spaghetti squash is putting on. It’s so great having produce this year instead of seared plants like last spring/summer.

    Reply to Joy Giles's comment

  11. Arika on May 23, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    So excited to see you have scapes! That means our garden won’t be far behind! And strawberries- mmm! I’m in S.E. Michigan, so we’re a week or two behind N.E. Ohio. Kale, Lettuce, Onions, and spinach!

    Reply to Arika's comment

  12. Stone Soup on May 23, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    Oh gosh, strawberries! I can’t hardly stand the wait . . . it’ll be several weeks still in Maine! We’ve got rhubarb, but no strawberries yet. Soon, I am hoping!

    Reply to Stone Soup's comment

  13. KimH on May 23, 2012 at 2:56 pm

    No, I cant believe you’ve never eaten chard before.. That is totally wild considering all the stuff that has crossed your plate.

    We’ve had rhubarb & herbs. There are a couple 3 chard plants that are going to seed, so I just left them alone. No scapes here yet.. maybe next week.

    Reply to KimH's comment

  14. elizabeth on May 23, 2012 at 3:33 pm

    My favorite things from the garden this week are tender lettuce and green garlic.

    Reply to elizabeth's comment

  15. elizabeth on May 23, 2012 at 3:34 pm

    Why have you never eaten chard, did you not think you would like it? I grow chard and like it, but my favorite greens for freezing are kale and beet greens, I eat them all winter long.

    Reply to elizabeth's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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