Grain

Oats in Centre County in 2007: 1800 acres. harvested 1400 acres, average yield 57 bushel/Acre, total 80,000 bushels. Canadian oats average 42 pounds/bushel – 32 US oats? We bought 100 pounds of oats for our consumption. This may be a little over a year’s supply for us. We would need an area approx 60 x 60 to grow our own.

Winter Wheat in Centre County in 2007 3300 acres planted, harvested 3100 acres, 59.5 bushels/acres, 184400 total bushels, 60 pounds per bushel. We bought 100 pounds of wheat, which was supplemented with store red wheat and some local soft wheat. Definitely use more wheat than oats. We would need an area approx 100 x 100 to grow our own.

Barley in Pennsylvania in 2007: 55000 acres planted, 42000 harvested, 50-80 bushel (average 73)/acre, 48 pounds/bushel

Corn (for grain) in Centre County in 2007: 30900 acres planted, 21500 harvested, 119 bushels/acre, 2, 558,000 total bushels, shell corn 56 pounds/bushel. We got a bushel of ear corn and have used 1/2 so far, so maybe 2-3 bushels would do us for a year…an area 30 x 30?

Fruits

Apples: 1 bushel = 48-50 pounds = 30 pints or 20 quarts

Peaches: 1 bushel = 48 pounds = 25 pints or 18 quarts

Pears: 1 bushel = 50 pounds = 45(?) pints or 30 quarts

Cherries1 quart = 1.75 pounds

Vegetables

Tomatoes: 1 bushel = 56 pounds = 22 pints or 15 quarts

Green Beans: 1 bushel = 24 pounds = 30 pints or 20 quarts

Sweet Corn: 1 bushel = 16 pints

Potatoes: 1 bushel = 60 pounds = 18-22 quarts

Onions: 1 bushel = 57 pounds

Things have really grown since the June report. There has been adequate rain this year. The garden is doing great! So are the weeds. Thank goodness for mulch.

Cabbage: I am starting some Krautman and Surprise cabbage from seed among the tomatoes that I finally managed to transplant from the “temporary” pots. These were the extra purchased tomatoes. The pea bed is in use again.

Red raspberries and black raspberries are still producing abundantly. Jams and jellies have been made, now we just eat and eat and eat them… unless I can get enough black ones to make more syrup.

The mustard is ready! We cut it July 10 and it is now hanging on the porch to dry. It will be a bumper crop if we don’t lose all the seeds.

The soldier beans are blooming, leeks are growing. The cauliflower has produced two small heads, and several of the plants just died. Broccoli is also producing small heads. The blue and red dent corn is growing and the pole beans are almost ahead of the corn. Winter squashes are doing well. The pickling cucs are growing but not exactly thriving. Eating cucs may have fruit soon. The four Kennebecs we planted a little late look like they are doing well, although the potato beetles did find them.

The pinto beans are looking for places to climb and only find each other. They have not yet bloomed.

The potato patch. The earliest potatoes planted (two rows on the left) are doing super – well the tops are anyway. The Norlands (third row) are sporadic. The peppers are next to the Norlands – they are visible plants, at least.

Tomatoes. About half are plum type for lotsa sauces. I think they have grown another foot since I took this photo.

Our sweet corn patch. It came up spotty, but is filling in well. Seems to be corn of various ages…

Ahhh, luscious onions. This is before we dug the garlic (at the far side of the garden). Onions are really looking good this year.

The beans are a beanie jungle. Glad I don’t have to get in there to pick – these are all dry beans.

The dent corn. It is also growing well.

Aren’t corn leaves (corn Leaves!) beautiful?

The popcorn is doing much better than I expected. The last time I tried corn in this area it was a dismal crop. Our spring lettuce is going to seed on the left. Front and center is our herbs: Cilantro, parsley, basil and cumin (struggling). Behind is yet more dry beans, more beans and more beans.

Our summer squash hill is now loaded with goodies (7/15). We had our first grilled squash (from my sister) yesterday. Yummm.

We have been having a few Fukagawa onions. They seem a bit slow this year or perhaps I am just impatient for them. The Barletta aren’t quite the failure they were last year, but their weeds are much more impressive than them. More lettuce going to seed among some more onions.

Now that these photos are finally posted, it is almost time to take the next round – if for no other reason than the garden has grown so much.

This is a log of when beans and corn are being pollinated. This is my first step in attempting to save my own corn and bean seed.

• Sister’s (black?) beans (next to our pintos) are flowering 7/5
• Black beans are flowering (in main garden) 7/6
• Brown beans are flowering 7/7
• Soldier beans are flowering (in main garden) 7/8
• Sister’s early corn is showing tassel 7/12, by 7/16 almost all stalks are in tassel
• Blue dent – tassel visible 7/12 – so blue dent may cross with sweet corn
• Green beans are flowering and have little beans 7/12
• Great Northerns are starting to flower, pintos are also into it 7/16

Hey, you know what? they all seem to flower at the same time. So how does one save seeds????