"It's a good thing we have grocery stores, year 2" is a title floating around in my head for a blog entry at the end of this year's growing season. In the meantime, I've harvested a few things.

Last night we had fresh tomato slices for our hamburgers and some small ears of corn. I have to admit I don't really like fresh tomatoes, but Phil says they were good. The corn was gummy; I haven't done any research yet, but I'm assuming that means I left the ears on the plants too long.

I dug up the potatoes in the raised bed a week or so ago and got maybe 10 lbs. I expected more. They're Yukon golds and pretty good. We've had them in potato salad and pot roast so far. I'm waiting for the cardboard box potatoes to finish dying back before I dig into those. Hint: Don't expect much.

I have exactly two pie pumpkins. Last year I learned they don't tolerate frost at all, so maybe I'll be smarter this fall. I have one zucchini about the size of my little finger. I thought everyone always had so many they couldn't give them all away! I had to buy some to make zucchini bread the other day. I have lots of melon blossoms and one grape-size melon; I'm not expecting to harvest any of those.

I'm wondering if the June rains washed off their pollen and if the heat slowed down their growth the way they did with the tomatoes. However, the farm at the corner of Mill and Rock has a whole field full of ripe pumpkins, and since it's only a few miles from my house I'm sure the weather was the same there!

I have quite a few Roma tomatoes now. Of course, half are red and half are green. I still have hopes of having enough to make a batch of sauce or soup.

I'm trying something new this fall: I've planted spinach, carrot, and broccoli seeds for the "second" season. It will be interesting to see whether I have any better luck than I have in summer.

NOTE: I wrote this Sept. 11 and didn't get it published until today.