This is one of the things I love about gardening. (And of the things that makes me fear farming/admire farmers on a commercial level!) The unpredictable nature. I can guess, and with each year, the results become closer to what I expected. But there are always surprises. Big ones. Sometimes....literally.
I'm sure I've told you before that Steve and I laugh about becoming burdock, thistle and dandelion farmers, for that's what seems to want to grow here by the field full. And while I wish it were tomatoes that I could grow with ease and happily fill baskets with by the bushel (maybe someday...maybe with a greenhouse), I do appreciate the things that grow easily for now. Beans, you may remember (and I dare say we're on the same trajectory this year). Beets. And in general root vegetables. Which should have given me pause, perhaps, when I decided to grow nearly a whole bed of rutabaga this year. I've never grown them before, and had no idea how they'd do.
How are they doing? See above. And imagine an entire bed full of them - all bigger than a human head! Rutabaga, rutabaga, rutabaga! Which is great, but here's a little secret, please don't tell my children, for I am about to launch a 'rutabagas are awesome!' campaign in my house in preparation for all the eating of them that we will be doing- I don't really love rutabagas. Or turnips. But surely that's just because I've never really had them prepared well, right? Yes, this must be true.
So - fans of rutabaga and turnips (um, I planted just as many of those, and they're doing just as well!) - I need your help! Rutabaga! Turnip! What magic can be made with them in the kitchen?
And on the topic of garden beds overflowing, gardeners, what crop are you feeling a bit, surprised, by this season?
