This Is Not August

The calendar tells me it's August 1st.  But the weather tells me it's early June.

Temperatures are ridiculously low, the sky is overcast, I actually needed a jacket this morning when I went out to check on the garden. 

Peas along the fence

More peas, with tomatoes in front

 Obviously the peas agree with me that it's only June, they are enjoying the cool weather and putting on another flush of pods.  Meanwhile the tomatoes are still no bigger than they were last June, and the earliest varieties (Oregon Spring and Beaverlodge Plum) are just beginning to blush; nearly a month later than average.  Even the cherry tomatoes haven't ripened yet, they are piling on the branches but still as green as ever.

First tomatoes of the year

 While most of the fruiting veggies are struggling with the cool weather, the slicing cucumbers seem to have gone into overdrive.  They are climbing up over their trellis and packed with about 6 cukes that will be ready for harvest by the end of the week, and plenty more aren't far behind.

Cucumbers hiding under a bounty of foliage

My July harvests weighed in at a total of 21 lbs. 3.5 oz., a few pounds less than June's.  I am still hoping that August will pay off, but I already know this year isn't going to be anywhere near as bountiful as last year.

I did however pull all of my onions that had bulbed, and trim out over a pound of herbs for drying today.  I also made my first batch of zucchini bread and the last batch of coleslaw yesterday.  I'm gearing up for the major harvests and processing of the year, even if the plants don't seem to be gearing up with me.