School Harvest!

We had our first harvest during the school year!!! There was broccoli, peppers, beans, cucumbers, and of course—tomatoes!

For convenience's sake, it was ultimately decided that Thursdays would be harvest days in order to ensure maximum freshness when it is delivered. However, if weather is bad, Wednesdays are the alternate days and Fridays as the final backup day.

Have you ever seen a broccoli plant? Well it definitely did NOT turn out how I thought it would.

The broccoli should be ready to harvest when the head is firm. I sort of just push down on it and if it only gives way a little bit, then I determine that it is ready to be picked. Make sure that the broccoli is harvested BEFORE it starts turning yellow or budding. While the flowers are very pretty, we do not really want them to eat. On the bright side, broccoli leaves are edible so we can harvest those in addition to the smaller offshoots of broccoli from the side branches. Don't be surprised if the harvested broccoli end up smaller than you expect, we are growing them ourselves after all! :D

A side note for future gardeners: in future years, plant the broccoli pretty far apart. Look up an ideal distance or just keep them about three hands apart. The amount of broccoli that we planted this year probably should have taken up two beds rather than just one. Learning experience! Don't repeat past gardeners' mistakes.

See you all at the HOPE meeting this Tuesday!