Dwindling and Tomato Hornworms

Things are beginning to die down here including the garden. Since I was able to plant most things early here, things are finally coming to an end. I was sure I was going to have a fall crop of some things. But I never got around to it. Too many other things got in the way.

We had a good year in the garden. We still are getting some things like squash and a second round of zuchinni (here comes more zuchinni bread and minestrone soup!). We are still getting tomatoes.

We had our first tomato hornworm stomping session. Yes. It sounds so gross. But when the kids spot the tomato hornworm, they have me pull it off and they take it off to the side of the garden and squish it. I think they delight in getting rid of it. Tomato hornworms are creepy little buggers. I normally detest the killing of anything regardless of its destructive capabilities. But I guess it's better than spraying it and having half the other bugs die along with them. Luckily, we only found four big ones. So far these are the first, hopefully the last. In the past, we have gotten them much earlier. So maybe that’s a good sign.

I dug up the second to last batch of red potatoes. I used them to make a minestrone soup (later I might post my recipe for it). There is one more batch of red potatoes and I am holding out as long as I can.

Overall, it has been a very productive and great season. The kids really did enjoy their gardens this year. Happy dwindling time!

KM