in full regulation protective gear yet ...

I was out in the veggie garden this evening. Just finished planting some pole green beans. Took a look at the raspberries and there it was, the first "almost" ripe berry of the season! Well I couldn't resist....mmmmm tasted great! If all goes well we should have one of the best raspberry harvests in years! The vanilla ice cream is waiting!

My wife and I took a trip to the Rodale Institute Organic  Farm in Kutztown Pa today.

http://rodaleinstitute.org/home

We did a 3 hour walking tour of the farm. Lot's of flower, vegetable, orchard and field exhibits. This is the premiere organic farm in the US.

http://rodaleinstitute.org/on_our_farm

A worthwhile stop if you are touring Pa.

This isn't me on the tractor!

BTW, The tractor in the above photo is rolling over "green manure" and planting soy beans at the same time. This is the organic farming method of no till.

Photos of the 08 vegetable garden.

3 Pole beans, Swiss Chard, Broccoli, Cabbage, Tomato, Brussel Sprouts

6 Snap peas lower left, sugar snap (edible pod) taller on right, plants are 6' high and producing well

8 Broccoli, Beets, Swiss Chard

9 Green Beans

10 Raspberries, best crop in years, freezer will be full

14 Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Broccoli, Cabbage.

Yes I practice companion gardening, and all organic.

love those raspberries!

gunter

Final shell peas harvested today, vines removed and 3 types of summer squash planted in their place. Sugar peas will harvest one more week, will be replaced with cukes. Four quarts of raspberries have been picked, probably will get two more weeks of picking and a small harvest in the fall. BTW pancakes with raspberries and Pennsylvania maple syrup was good......

I like the sound of all this but it also sounds like a lot of work.

rasberry pancakes ... mmm ...

gunter

We are trying a new crop this year, Chocolate Pudding.....

this being Sunday, after tonight's sumptuous dinner at rayuela (spanish/asian fusion) had vanilla ice cream ...