It is summer already. It has been a good summer for us so far, a lot of rain, the weather has been rather good to us. Even strong winds, though I can’t count how many, didn’t blow our hoop-houses away. The peppers and tomatoes are growing safe there. And just few days ago we got 2 inches of rain! Good deal.

Although the weather was good for growing vegetables, it also encouraged their third cousins – weeds – to grow faster and more dense. So we’ve been busy weeding, to the extent that made us want to have a tractor. And that’s going to be our next big project – to find a small tractor with some attachments for seeding and cultivating. We’ve been learning from the other vegetable growers how useful and time saving is to have farm equipment like that. We could use more time needed for other things, like pest control, cover crops (to help our soil be more fertile) and harvesting.

And there is a lot to pick. Cucumbers are taking the lead now. My mom emailed me that she’s been pickling these days. With vinegar and – my favorite kind – with salt and water (and garlic and dill too). That must be traditionally the Polish way, or in Poland’s region, cuz I haven’t found them in the pantries here.

But in the US I get to try different things, like pickled okra, with lots of paprika! The world is full of good food, and you never know what kind of pickle you’ll get yourself into, Mr Frodo. No matter where you go.