Homegrown Heat: The Summer Garden Report

June’s winding down and the backyard bounty is just getting warmed up. This weekend’s haul? Let’s just say the green beans are staging a quiet takeover.

Down in the lower garden, we met a milestone: the first cherry tomato. She was small. She was mighty. She tasted like summer condensed into a single bite.

There’s something deeply satisfying about that first tomato. It’s not just a snack—it’s a sign that the rest of the tomato gang isn’t far behind. Soon the kitchen will be overflowing with reds, yellows, stripes, and the sweet smell of potential pasta sauce.

We’ve got strawberries wrapping up, basil going feral, and zucchini starting to eye the spotlight. The season’s rhythm is starting to feel familiar—water, weed, pick, repeat. And every time that harvest basket fills up, it feels a little like magic (plus a lot like work).

Stay tuned. There’s talk of jam in the air. And maybe a pickling session once the cucumbers get ambitious.

Sunshine, sweat, and snacks—just how summer should be.