Harvest

August 2 marked the festival of Lughnasadh, the beginning of the harvest.  In my little garden world the harvest began with the first few cherry tomatoes.  Warmed by the August sun, they seemed especially tasty.  Since they were the first tomatoes I raised at home in many years they were a real treat.  Since then I've also sampled a couple Pearly Pink plum tomatoes as well.  The Brandywines are filling out nicely and the recent warm weather is just what they need to finish ripening.
Besides tomatoes, I also have three kinds of peppers coming on well, as well as one nice pumpkin and many gourds.  I'm already planning for next years garden.  The success we've had with cucumbers at work this year has inspired me to try them in place of the pumpkins and gourds.  Growing them on trellises yields clean straight fruits, easy to pick and eye level.
I've been researching heirloom varieties lately.  It is amazing the variety of tomatoes, peppers and others that are available and that most people will rarely encounter.  Tomatoes in shades of yellow, white and brown.  Long skinny red sweet peppers, short square hot peppers.  Tomatoes ranging in size from currants to 2 lbs and everything in between.