Harvesting Carrots and Squabbling Goats

I am so excited this year by our carrots.

If you remember, when I ordered seeds, I ordered

red and purple carrots.

These might just be my new favorite vegetable!

If you have grown carrots, then you know what a challenge harvesting them can be....

especially when the ground is rock hard from prolonged hot weather and

precious little rain.

You grab the greens and pull.

SNAP!

 The greens pull off the carrot leaving you nothing to grab ahold of.

Getting those topless carrots out of the ground poses a bit of a problem.

If you're not careful, the carrots break... leaving the tips still in the ground.

If you use a tool you risk scratching or gouging the carrot.

I have found that using the jet spray of the hose to blast 

the soil away from the carrot works really well.

If you wait a few seconds until the water seeps into the ground,

you can easily grab the top of the carrot 

and pull it to freedom.

Aren't they beautiful?

These carrots taste as good as they look!

I don't peel away any of the outside....

just spray with the jet stream of the hose to remove any soil,

and eat it just like that.

Last evening I pulled the spent cucumber vines and planted 

another batch of carrots to be harvested in October.

I am learning to get the most out of our growing season,

by planting my boxes twice.

Do you plant heirloom tomatoes?

I highly recommend it.

If you haven't tried them....plan on it next summer.

These German Strawberry Tomatoes are the tastiest, meatiest tomato yet!

With few seeds and juicy flesh, I'd rate them superior!

Yesterday I finished another project...

a directional sign for the corner by the garden.

Just in case you're ever lost...

You R Here!

The "flatlands" (see above picture)is what I refer to our closest metropolitan area 

(nestled in a large valley).

(We live in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.)

My daughter calls the Flatlands "civilization".

We're quite civilized here in the country, so I'll continue to call it the Flatlands.

Lastly, I thought I would give you a little update on T. Donald's move to Fred's pen.

Don't let this picture fool you....

Just a few hours before, they were going head to head

in a rather large altercation over who was going to sleep in the big house.

Two headaches, several faints, and one bloody scalp later it was decided.

"Ok, we'll both sleep in the tiny house together!"

Silly bucklings.

I guess it's the same with brothers of all species!

Well, I am off to harvest some more yummy vegetables.

Have a wonderful day, wherever you are.

PS.... We finally had some rain....4 good showers yesterday,

and things have cooled off a bit.

Thank goodness.... I was beginning to wilt!