We've had fairly cool weather most of the summer. That made my broccolini, kale, lettuce, and carrot crops do exceedingly well. But, the fava beans (pictured above) are slow to ripen, the tomatoes, too.
I'm watching the tomato plants closely, hoping blight (Phytophthora infestans) will not start as is often the case in colder wet weather.Early blight shows up as a leaf blight on the lower part of plants. The disease moves upward, causing the leaves to yellow and shrivel. Brown spots develop on stems (lesions) and develop into dark green pigments on the fruit. Eventually the fruit will rot. Franklin park urges only organic gardening, so fungicide application is discouraged. Staking keeps the fruit from contacting the soil surface and mulching cuts down on 'soil splash'. Straw works well as a mulch; I apply it early in the season so that by late summer it has disintegrated (softened), and I can move it around easily. Also, it composts throughout the winter, adding fiber and texture to the soil.
Since this my first garden plot at Franklin Park, I'm not sure what kind of problems may have been in the soil. Club root (Plasmodiophora brassicae) affected all of my cauliflower and cabbage, and I had to remove them. With narled roots, the plants wilted in even the most moderate heat. The roots couldn't sustain the plants. This too is a fungal infestation in the soil. One must wait several years to reintroduce root crops, being sure to rotate plants.
I've dug all my potatoes and transplanted all of the leeks - over a hundred, for winter-overing. By next spring they will be ready to harvest, sweetened by the low temps of winter. We're still growing green beans along the side of the house, and I've started a second crop of spinach, mustard, bunch onions, and lettuce. I'm still getting fava beans, kale, and zucchini squash.
I made this kale soup for my lunch. I've seasoned it with red curry paste (Thai) and spices. It is incredibly wholesome, with a strong flavor from the kale (use only young leaves). I made brushetta toasts to go with this, using Batard bread, feta and cheddar cheese and home-made brushetta sauce from my ripe tomatoes. (I plan to use most of my tomatoes for this type of chunky sauce, which is wonderful spread on garlic bread with fresh oregano from the garden. It also includes olive oil, vinegar and Mandarin orange juice, onion and garlic). 
Carrots, leeks, and zucchini ready for soup. This year I planted the 'rainbow variety' carrots. I keep the skins on for the deep color and flavor. These are great as 'filler' for so many meals, in stir-frys and in salads. George and I drove down to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest on the weekend, to do some hiking and huckleberry-picking:
"For thousands of years, American Indians spent summer and fall high in the mountains hunting, fishing, picking berries, and celebrating the plentiful gifts of the land. Once every few years, they burned the berry fields after harvest, to kill invading trees and to insure healthy fields the following year. The Indians in this area regarded the rituals of picking, preserving, and eating berries as a cultural and traditional use with religious significance.
An area in the Sawtooth Berry Fields was reserved in 1932 by a handshake agreement between Yakama Indian Chief William Yallup and Gifford Pinchot Forest Supervisor K. P. Cecil for use by Indians. By understanding the historical significance of this area, we hope you pay close attention to the signs indicating the areas reserved for use by the Indians. By doing so, you are respecting the culture of another people.
Thousands of years ago, uncontrolled wildfires created openings in the vast forest. Huckleberries prospered in the sunlight caused by these natural openings. For countless years, repeated fires caused by lightning or set by Indians killed the invading trees and brush. But the forest is constantly trying to reclaim its lost territory. If it were not for fire, the berry fields of today would have long since been reclaimed by the forest. Today, scientists are trying to determine the best method of maintaining the huckleberries as a valuable forest resource."
We learned that there are over 12 different species of huckleberries in Washington, but came home with just a few cupfuls of berries, mostly Oregon grape, wild blueberry, and
some blackberries. The berries just weren't ripe - it'll take a few more weeks. But, now we know where the best huckleberry spots are, and won't waste any more time hunting for them when we want to gather them.Since we had so few I had to determine how best to use them!
First, I made a coleslaw, using Chinese cabbage, rainbow carrots, and onions.
Then, I made Millet pancakes, mixing the berries with nectarines. 
I used the remainder in a fruit salad.Today I plan to make a Moroccan Stew using fresh fava beans. Recipes here include nine different ways to use them. Braised with turnips, radishes and carrots; sauteed with onion and fennel; roasted with garlic and lemon; stewed with onion, bell pepper, tomato, garlic and chick peas, with harissa; and in a melange with artichokes and green garlic! I've still got pods growing in the garden, so I hope I can experiment with them on the grill.
