Farm School Summer Series Week Twelve

It's still officially summer,
but the fall garden is underway here in Central Florida.

Have you heard of edible hibiscus?
Me neither.
I tasted a leaf or two and it has a slight tang to it.
It could be a unique addition to a mixed salad.
This magenta-hued plant can be invasive,
so these were pulled out during Faye's clean up.

The Romas that were installed two weeks ago did not fare well.

Never fear, there is no lack for 'maters in these parts.
This lovely display will soon be transplanted into larger containers.

These new seedlings are a combination of Roma, 
Celebrity and Sweet Million tomatoes.
The cells which house the most sprouts are sown from new seed.
The less abundant cells are from last year's seed.
It's important to pay attention to details.

These eggplant are looking healthy and happy
and will be finding a new home in the garden soon.
They will be a welcome addition to our supper table.

We had sown beet seeds a few weeks ago without much success.
We weren't sure if it was because of the seed, the weather or the time of year.
Again, new seed was replanted and this is the result.
Nearly every seed germinated.

The dill had been covered to discourage butterflies from laying eggs.
They did not seem to be coming along as anticipated,
so Lynn took the covers off and they came back to life.
As for the butterflies, 
we'll be collecting them every week as needed and hosting them back in my garden.

Today we transplanted these beloved banana peppers.
I was never that fond of peppers,
but these are so sweet and tasty, 
they were being added to everything from salad to pizza.

Any available pots in the pepper area were used.
 These are partially covered in shade cloth.

These funky things help the peppers get the best start possible.
This is a "Lynnvention", another little something he's created
through time and experience as a gardener.

The metal stakes are fitted with small expanses of wire.

Need support?
You got it.
Yeah, he's mighty good at this stuff.

We direct-sowed  about 20 or so kohlrabi.
It's a cold weather crop in the brassica family.

We also planted a few rows of peas,
just to the left of the beans growing here.

Can I tell you how psyched I am about this?
These shriveled-looking pods
turn into the most sweet, juicy, and tender morsels you can imagine.

We follow the instructions on the package for best results.
As you can see, we should be enjoying these within a couple of months.
Hot dog!

Lynn and Faye shared with me the history of their vast tool collection.

These cleavers have been handed down.

Many of the tools have been handmade.

These have a multitude of uses both inside the home and outside in the garden.

Look how this metal was forged to create a handle.

When Faye and Lynn set up at the farmer's market in town,
they use this bucket filled with rocks to hold their umbrella.
Faye suggested that it could be used for shepherd hooks as well.

This native coffee plant boasts bright red berries in a sea of green.

So many wonders of nature lurk here just waiting to be discovered.

Hoping your fall garden is getting underway!


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