Is it that time already?

I guess it's time to reflect upon this year and plan for the next. All and all, it was a fantastic year for growing veggies. Again we had just enough heat this summer, allowing the warm weather crops (tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers) to thrive like they did in 2010. Another blessing was the rain - I can count on one hand the number of times I had to water the garden. While August and September were unusually wet, the precipitation this year was moderate and consistent. Some other things worth noting this year:

• Our lettuce grew bitter way too early, our spring sown spinach and Asian greens did really well. The Napa cabbage was a bust again this year. I don't think I'll be trying again as there are other Asian greens that are much easier to grow. (Note to Self - Kale is your friend, keep eating it. Don't grow Swiss chard again. You will never eat it.)
  
• Our broccoli did great again and surprisingly, so did our fall cauliflower. (Yes!)
• My beautiful persimmon tree bit the dust this fall. The weight of the snow from our freak October storm snapped the trunk in two. Oh well. It wouldn't have been able to survive our future Vermont winters anyway.
• I didn't get a single fig from my trees purchased in 2010. (Note to self - fig trees LOVE lime! Feed them plenty this spring.)
• Our Imperial Star Artichokes were amazing this year - producing very early and consistently. We'll see if artichokes will grow well as annuals in Zone 4.
• While the field mice, cucumber beetles and slugs continued to be a problem this year, their take was far from devastating. And for the first time, the ground hogs and raccoons have become major players in this game. So long suckers! I hope I don't meet your relatives in Vermont!
• I was finally able to grow a decent crop of string beans this year. I think my earlier problems were due to timing and spacing. (Note to self - sow beans only when the soil is dry and warm and a single row of beans densely seeded and spaced 18 inches from other veggies will yield much better then sowing beans 4 inches apart in all directions.) Also, the soybeans did VERY well this year but I'm not a huge fan of 'Envy'. I think I'll try traditional white butter beans next year.
• The sweet corn was great this year. Ruby Queen is definitely worth growing again. (Note to self - hill up the soil around the stalks when they are 18 inches tall.)
• The melons did just 'ok' again this year. The search for that one perfect homegrown melon continues. (Note to self - grow Hami and Early Silverline melons next year. They are delicious!)
  

On a side note - I also tend to reflect upon the big picture that is my life this time of year. The other day, I was thinking about how my twenties seemed to fly by. I'll be reaching the mid-point of my thirties next year and things are beginning to slow down a bit. For that, I'm incredibly thankful.