Cottage Wood Hill

Raspberry harvest

CWAW — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:05:08 +0000

My 3 year old raspberry bushes are really starting to produce, and I can get a handful a day, no problem.

I’m so glad I found a great source for low-chill varieties of fruits and berries that can grow in my area of Southern California: Bay Laurel Nursery. Check it out.

Photo by Living in Monrovia

Garlic Harvest

CWAW — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 02:56:55 +0000

I was very excited to pull my first garlic harvest from the ground, late at night by flashlight. As soon as I realized they were ready I had to go get them, even in the dark. Make it more of an adventure.

I hung them to dry outside under my gazebo roof and am happy to report that my first sampling (I made salad dressing) was delicious. The drying outer layers are so pretty, striped with purple.

Photo by Living in Monrovia

Homemade Bee Hive

CWAW — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:53:42 +0000

I wish I could say I made this but I’m only admiring it from afar. How cute is this homemade bee hive? I love it!

Photo by lehua_mc

My “purple” cauliflower is rather pink

CWAW — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:47:47 +0000

I’ll be eating this in the next couple of days. YUM.

Photo by Living in Monrovia

Homegrown Watermelon

CWAW — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:01:08 +0000

This is the result of our first watermelon patch. It was amazingly delicious. I’m definitely going to plant them again next year. I can’t believe I have another one starting at this late date.

Photo by Living in Monrovia

Blackberries in the Garden

CWAW — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:44:39 +0000

Being in California I never thought I could grow blackberries, but I was wrong! I came so close to ripping this out because it went a couple of years without producing anything and I ordered a thornless but this one has thorns. I’m so glad I wanted! Now it is producing delicious fruit.

Purple Artichokes

CWAW — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:52:44 +0000

I’ve recently planted some seeds for purple artichokes, and they have spouted. They are still very small put I’m hoping to get some that eventually look like these. Someone told me they get huge so I’m growing them in a pot so I can give them plenty of room. Has anyone ever grown them?
Photo by Andrew Huff

Cauliflower

CWAW — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:44:34 +0000

This is my most beautiful vegetable garden creation yet! I started this in my raised bed and I’ve recently put netting over this bed to keep the cabbage butterflies out. So far everything is propering.

Lovely Bread

CWAW — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:26:33 +0000

Here’s a pic of some freshly baked bread out of the oven. Got the recipe from the New York Times. It’s touted as a no-knead bread…just needs to sit on the counter for many hours. It’s definitely worth the wait!

Fresh figs from my volunteer tree

CWAW — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:48:11 +0000

Flickr photo by Living in Monrovia

I’m so excited my volunteer fig tree is producing its first crop. And they are beauties. We also got our first muskmelon today so I’m going to try eating them together…YUM.