Corn, Eggplant and Pumpkins

For so long now, the corn has seemed so small, and I've watched it not really growing with some concern.  Were the seeds too old?  I have dreams of passing many seeds on to other interested growers so we can keep this rare, local heirloom corn from extinction.

But suddenly it is huge, towering over my head.  I remember that now, from last year.

So many things are blooming in the garden.

 

The cosmos are trellising themselves along with the cucumber vines.  I've never seen cosmos six feet tall!

The beautiful red amaranth has naturalized in the garden.  I haven't actually planted it for three years now. 

The basil my father-in-law gave me is flowering.  The blossoms soaked in cool water make a wonderful, refreshing drink.

The eggplants are coming in, along with the peppers.  Now that the tomato vines have begun to die back, we are getting vine ripened tomatoes.  I think the army worms that were eating them all don't like to be exposed.  Next year I will space the tomatoes apart even more.  The paradox is that the more room I give them, the larger they grow!

The vines have really taken over at this point.  You have to step carefully, because underneath the pumpkins are lurking.

We pulled a bunch of Tahitian Melon pumpkins and Galeux D'eysines out the other day.  There was also one Anna Swartz Hubbard that was ready.  My kids go crazy about harvesting the pumpkins.  I think it must be their favorite part of the garden.  I wish they were so enthusiastic about picking the cherry tomatoes!