Labor Day means backyard barbecues and the end of summer. Some families even make a final trip to the lake or beach or mountains to relax. Actually, it appears many families traveled based on the traffic conditions! I trust wherever you are your family landed you are enjoying fresh, local vegetables with that barbecued beast!
The origins of the National Labor Day Holiday reflect a darker time for workers and include unrest over oppressive working conditions. During the Industrial Revolution in the late 19th century workers toiled for at least 12 hours a day, six days a week. I suspect some people can still identify with this work schedule! Anyone working two jobs? I do believe parenting and domestic engineering count as jobs. Or are you attempting to grow a garden? LOL . . . Fortunately, today we have many improvements over late 19th century workers. At the end of our toils, we retire to comfortable air-conditioned homes with electricity and indoor plumbing. And petrol-fueled vehicles of all types beat oxen, mules, and horses for getting around and getting things done!
We continue to use our underground, drip-irrigation in the gardens (another miracle which did not exist in the the late 19th century). As a result, our bell peppers are magnificent this season! They are loaded with Vitamin C and other nutrients. Enjoy them raw, roasted, sauteed, stuffed and if you are getting too many (as if this is possible), fill a freezer bag and enjoy them next winter in soups and stews!
The beans keep producing and the eggplant and tomatoes! The cabbage and potatoes are stunted in size due to the one big rain we did get in June at exactly the wrong time–such is the life of a farmer! Still, they are tasty and there is no need to wrap half of the cabbage head for later use! The first “individual” spaghetti squash had some dark spots on the outside so I had to use these first. They were solid when I packed them into the boxes, but use them immediately!
This photo was taken about one month ago. You can see the early spring garden on the right where the weeds have taken over for the most part–except for the cabbage. Today various plants are much larger with little of the fabric even showing!
Cane Creek Asparagus & Company CSA 