Next week is Lammas Day, which I had never even heard of until I Googled “what day is summer half over”. Apparently Lammas Day marks the midpoint of summer and my ancestors would have celebrated their first wheat harvests with feasting and merriment.

And loaves. Lots of loaves.

It is interesting that life used to be so affected by planting and harvesting times that people’s entire lives revolved around them. I mean, obviously these were important milestones throughout the year because being able to feed yourself and your family is something to celebrate, for sure. I try to imagine just how stressful and rewarding it must have been for my farming forefathers to tend their crops year after year after year.

Obviously they were pretty good at it or I wouldn’t be here! And I am grateful that I’ve inherited a green thumb from them. So maybe I’ll make a loaf of banana bread or something to mark the occasion in their honor.

I would make some pumpkin bread, but we are still a few weeks off from those being ready.

They are coming along nicely, though, as is just about everything else.

I have had a few disappointments but they are minor in comparison to the victories this year. Like I was hoping the ivy would have grown up and over the chicken coop by now.

I was also hoping that my morning glory girlie would be completely filled in by now, but the bottom of her dress is there and I still have a few weeks left so hopefully it will turn out like I’d imagined.

The willow shrub cuttings I took this spring rooted beautifully and I’ve been able to sell some and keep some to plant.

Next year I will take some from the other fast growing willow trees that are now well over 6 ft tall and forming a nice wind block along the back of the property. Those should really do well.

But as far as edibles I’m pretty pleased with how the potato tower is coming along.

And the cucumbers are finally starting to take off.

The lettuce is doing great, and has surprisingly went unnoticed by anything that might want to nibble on it.

Some of the carrots have started flowering, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing because flowers = seeds. Most of them will be edible and we’ll be harvesting them soon but I definitely didn’t plant enough of them so next year I will do better.

I’m just grateful that my life doesn’t literally depend on the ability to grow food, like it did for my ancestors. If that were the case, I’m afraid we’d be in serious trouble. 😆