If you have a vegetable garden, how is it doing this year? Mine continues to produce bounties of beautiful and nutritious foods.
Last week, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, picked another sizable amount of vegetables from my Bedford, New York farm, including some of the season's cucumbers, artichokes, peppers, cabbage, and so much more.
Here is an update on what we last picked - let me know what you're harvesting from your garden this week!
There has been so much growth in this vegetable garden in the last couple of weeks – there is so much to pick! Many of you ask what I do with all these vegetables. I share most of them with my daughter, Alexis, and her beautiful children, Jude and Truman – they love all vegetables. I also share them with my friends and staff here at Bedford. And, I use them for various television and magazine shoots whenever needed, or when we test recipes here at the farm. Nothing is ever wasted – whatever isn’t used goes to my chickens, geese, peafowl, and pigeons.
This year, we’ve had a lot of very warm days. This can sometimes be a detriment to growing crops, but some of the plants continue to do well such as our peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, and summer squash.
Here’s Ryan just before harvesting this week’s bounty. One can harvest any time of day, but when possible, the best picking time is early morning, when the sun is just clearing the eastern horizon and greens are still cool and dew-covered from the previous night.
Look at the cabbage – they’re the perfect size for picking. The right time for cabbage harvesting will depend on the variety of cabbage planted and when the heads mature. Look for heads that are firm all the way through when squeezed – that’s when they’re ready.
To get the best health benefits from cabbage, it’s good to include all three varieties into the diet – Savoy, red, and green. This is a Savoy cabbage.
Ryan picked two heads. The leaves of the Savoy cabbage are more ruffled and a bit more yellowish in color. Cabbage, Brassica oleracea, is a member of the cruciferous vegetables family, and is related to kale, broccoli, collards, and Brussels sprouts.
Here’ a head of broccoli, which is high in vitamins A and D.
This beautiful cauliflower head is brimming with nutrients. Cauliflower holds plenty of vitamins, such as C, B, and K.
This is kale – very pretty with ruffled leaves and a purple-green color. One cup of chopped kale has 134-percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin-C – that’s more than a medium orange, which only has 113-percent of the daily C requirement.
This year, I planted lots of delicious herbs in this garden. We designated the center beds for this year’s crops – they’re doing great as well – sage, rosemary, thyme, and more.
And here are just a couple of the artichokes – I love artichokes. We have many growing! Artichokes are actually flower buds, which are eaten when they are tender. Buds are generally harvested once they reach full size, just before the bracts begin to spread open.
Artichokes have very good keeping qualities and can remain fresh for at least a week.
When harvesting artichokes, all you need is a utility knife to cut the stem approximately one to three inches from the base of the bud. The stem becomes a useful handle when trimming the artichoke. After harvesting the center bud, the artichoke plant will produce side shoots with small buds between one to three inches in diameter.
We planted more than 100-tomato plants this year. All the plants are now well-supported by bamboo stakes. We’re growing both hybrid and heirloom varieties.
Most tomato plant varieties need between 50 and 90 days to mature. Planting can also be staggered to produce early, mid and late season tomato harvests. Lots of tomatoes are developing on the vines, but they’re not ready just yet – they still need a few more weeks.
There are several types of tomatoes available in my garden, including globe tomatoes used in processing, and for fresh eating. Beefsteak are large, often used for sandwiches. Oxheart tomatoes vary in size and are shaped like large strawberries. Plum tomatoes are usually oblong, and used in tomato sauces. Cherry tomatoes are small round, often sweet and eaten whole. Campari tomatoes are sweet and juicy and of small to medium size.
Swiss chard always stands out in the garden, with its rich red stalks. Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable often used in Mediterranean cooking. The leaf stalks are large and vary in color, usually white, yellow, or red. The leaf blade can be green or reddish in color. Harvest Swiss chard when the leaves are tender and big enough to eat.
A bit crunchier than spinach, Swiss chard is also more tender than kale. Swiss chard is actually a beet but doesn’t have a bulbous root. It’s referred to as a member of the “goosefoot” family due to the shape of its leaves. And always cut chard leaf by leaf, so the plant can continue to grow new leaves during the rest of the season.
Ryan also picked the first cucumbers of the season. I prefer small to medium sized cucumbers. Cucumbers, Cucumis sativus, are great for pickling – I try to find time for pickling every year.
These peppers are ready too. Be careful when picking peppers – always keep the hot ones separated from the sweet ones, so there is no surprise in the kitchen.
Here’s Chhiring tending the garden beds. Because of all the heat and rain this summer, the weeds are growing rampant. It takes a lot of work to maintain such large gardens here at the farm.
We harvested a full bucket of summer squash. Zucchini can be dark or light green. A related hybrid, the golden zucchini, is a deep yellow or orange color – all so delicious.
And to keep up with our program of succession planting, Ryan prepares seeds for another bed. Succession planting is the practice of seeding crops at intervals of seven to 21 days in order to maintain a consistent supply of harvestable produce throughout the season. Succession planting also involves planting a new crop after harvesting the first crop. It’s a great summer for fresh vegetables here at the farm.
The gardens and plants around my beloved home in Maine continue to thrive.
So many of you have expressed how much you enjoy my updates and photos of Skylands, my home in Seal Harbor, Maine. As you know, I like to spend as much time there as possible, especially when I’m joined by my family and friends. When I am not there, Cheryl DuLong, who works at Skylands, keeps me updated with photos. Right now, there are so many beautiful flowers blooming in the cutting garden, and so much lush, green foliage in the woodlands.
Here are some of Cheryl's latest images, enjoy.
Every year, we always hang a series of fern-filled planters under the pergola on the Western Terrace – it adds such a lovely touch of greenery to the space. These ferns, Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Bostoniensis’, are among the most popular varieties with its frilly leaves and long, hanging fronds.
On the ledge, all the specimens we planted over Memorial Day Weekend are looking so beautiful. This is a ponytail palm, Beaucarnea recurvata – a species of plant in the family Asparagaceae. It has a sleek bulb-like trunk with lush, long leaves.
This part of the woodland is filled with beautiful moss. Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants that typically form dense green clumps or mats, often in damp or shady locations.
This rhododendron near one of my natural pools begins to bloom in July with gorgeous pale pink and white flowers. Rhododendrons are prized for these big, showy flower clusters and the glossy green foliage.
Cheryl also took photos of all the many mushrooms that are growing around my home. A mushroom is the fleshy spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus. Fungus thrives in moist areas and loves growing on decaying wood. They are also an important part of the forest ecosystem. Because they live off of decaying plant matter, fungus breaks down and disposes of fallen tree branches, leaves, and even animals.
All the moisture in recent weeks has allowed the fungi that produce mushrooms to proliferate. There are all kinds of mushrooms growing.
And in all different shapes and sizes.
Also growing now are the raspberries – lots and lots of raspberries. Cheryl has already picked and frozen more than three quarts of these delicious fruits. My family will surely enjoy them this summer.
And look at all the beautiful snapdragons growing in my flower cutting garden. There are so many different colors. Antirrhinum is a genus of plants commonly known as dragon flowers or snapdragons because of the flowers’ fancied resemblance to the face of a dragon that opens and closes its mouth when squeezed. They are native to rocky areas of Europe, the United States, and North Africa.
This variety is ‘Apple Blossom’ with its lavish, full-sized snapdragons reaching up to 36 inches. Heavy trusses of large, velvety-textured blooms in true apple-blossom pink, contrast with pale gold to white.
Snapdragons come in pastels and bright shades and are available in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, pink, red, orange, peach, purple and violet. Some varieties are bicolor, featuring two colors. All the tall flowers in the garden are supported by four inch netting.
Rudbeckias are easy-to-grow perennials featuring golden, daisy-like flowers with black or purple centers, and include the popular black-eyed Susan. Rudbeckia’s bright, summer-blooming flowers give the best effect when planted in masses in a border or wildflower meadow.
And here is a row of zinnias. Zinnias are native to the dry grasslands from the Southwestern United States to South America, and in Mexico.
Zinnia flowers come in a variety of colors including pink, red, purple, orange, yellow, lavender, white and even green. The only color Zinnia flowers are not available in is blue. Zinnias also come in a wide variety of flower shapes with stars, daisies, dahlias, spiders, buttons, domes, and quill-leaf cactus forms.
Here is another zinnia in a creamy peach color. Zinnias do best in full sun, and although they are adaptable to most soil conditions, the ideal soil is rich in organic matter and well-drained.
We also have phlox. Phlox has superb heat and mildew resistance. They thrive in Skylands and at my farm. Phlox is a tall and upright grower that’s great for the back of the border, or even planted at the edge of the garden among the shrubs. Phlox also comes in a range of colors from pure white to lavender to even red and grows happily in most parts of the country. If properly planted and sited, phlox is largely pest and disease free too – a perfect perennial.
Growing at the end of our row of artichokes is our Astilbes. Astilbes are wonderful shade perennials, known for their dark green foliage and plume-like blossoms. Flowers bloom mid-summer and make charming fresh or dried cut flowers.
Clematis is a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. The name Clematis comes from the Greek word “klematis,” meaning vine. Clematis, pronounced KLEH-muh-tis, are native to China and Japan and known to be vigorous growers. This one is a deep pink color.
My vegetable garden and flower cutting garden are together in one large space completely surrounded by a tall fence. Growing along this trellis are the cucumber plants. We have a few cucumbers already growing at my Bedford farm, but at Skylands, it will be a few more weeks before the fruits are ready to harvest.
And here are the artichoke plants – planted in an area outside the vegetable garden fence because deer don’t care for them. Because we’ve had so many warm days, this is a great year for artichokes – there will be many to enjoy this season.
My gardener, Mike Harding, made this woodland moss arrangement for inside my home. Moss is a very slow growing wild plant so it should never be harvested in large amounts – in fact, it is illegal to take any moss from national forests without permission. Once the season is over, we always make sure the moss we harvested is returned to the forest where it can regenerate and flourish.
And here is another miniature woodland arrangement in the living room. I love to fill several of my planters with natural elements. Various mosses, lichens, seedlings, pine needles, stones, and old pieces of wood are brought in to create miniature forests that last all season long. Skylands is such a magical place for me and my family – I can’t wait to return. Thanks for the photos, Cheryl.
Enjoy these photos, and be sure to take a look at all my holiday offerings on the QVC web site. I'll be selling more holiday decor on QVC in the fall. And, look out for other wonderful items on my new web site at Martha.com.
Here I am in my newly renovated studio living room holding one of my newest holiday items for QVC. I love this whimsical and fun Metallic Fur Owl. It adds a playful accent to seasonal decor.
This Metallic Fur Owl has metallic feathers and faux fur and comes in two sizes. Nestle one in the branches of your Christmas tree, or place one or two under the tree with your gifts.
This lush wreath decorated with faux foliage will look wonderful above the fireplace, hung on a door, or used as a centerpiece. It is pre-lit with lifelike tree tips, faux white berries, eucalyptus, cedar leaves, and pinecones. 50 warm white LED lights make it even more special, and it can be used indoors and out.
This year, I am offering this Pre-Lit Natural Shape White Tip Tree.
This tree comes with 850 incandescent lights,
4,652 tapered, molded white tips, and spare bulbs and fuses. These trees put anyone in the holiday spirit.
This non-traditional wreath is perfect for both classic and more contemporary holiday settings. It is designed with a pattern of rhinestone leaves on a metal form. It measures approximately 12 inches in diameter.
The wreath is also available in green rhinestone, and clear crystal – all with a gold base. We hung several on our tree, but they can be used on the wall or on your holiday dinner table.
Here is one of my Microlight Burst String Lights. Nestle these within the branches of the tree for a festive yet elegant holiday sparkle.
And, along with the bursts, why not add a wintery impression of icicles cascading off of your Christmas tree or mantel. These beaded crystal icicle branch picks are about 20 inches long.
Here is one of my botanical-themed crystal ornaments hanging on the tree.
Here is one in gold.
And for this season, we made artful metallic houses modeled after the outbuildings at my Bedford, New York farm. The one in front is my stable. In the back is a miniature version of my Winter House. I also offer a model of my Summer House. Lights shine through all the windows of these gold-toned structures. They’re great on a table or along a wide windowsill where guests can see them.
Here is the gold strand wrapped around my Pre-Lit Eucalyptus, Pinecone and Berry garland. The light strand uses 20 LED wide-angle pinecone-shaped lights and can be used indoors and out.
In the fireplace is a nice assortment of flameless candles – my Cable Knit Pillar candles available in ivory, Bedford gray and red, and my Figural Squirrel candles. “Lighting” them with the remote is so easy and quick.
These squirrel and pinecone flameless candles come in ivory, brown and butterscotch. All the candles have multi timer remotes and approximately 200 hours of glow per battery pair. The thing I love most is that my flameless candles are completely safe – they can be displayed anywhere.
On the right is my 10-inch Lit Mercury Glass Hurricane. It’s just the right size and is illuminated by white microlights. It’s another great piece that can stay on your table all winter long.
I have long decorated with shooting stars. This one can be used indoors or out. It has 350 LED lights on the star and the five light strands.
And don’t forget the wine. Order this for yourself or give as a gift. This wine set includes three 750-ml bottles of wine and three gift bags with 2018 Bayshore Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018 Sierra Trails Zinfandel, 2019 Fog Harbor Chardonnay, and 2020 Spencer Family Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc.
And on my door, this patina iron leaf wreath. It features a captivating sheen, an intricate leaf design, and measures 21 inches across. We had so much fun talking about these holiday decorations. I hope you visit the web site to see more of my new offerings. It may be July now, but the holidays will be here before you know it.
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