Every garden needs a scarecrow...

 
I haven't spent as much time at the gardens lately because its been hot and my work has been picking up. We had a long heat spell and it has really taken a toll on the plants. Even the tomatoes are looking tired. Hard to believe but even they have slowed down on production. It seems as though the end is near for the pizza sauce and salsa projects.

Looking back on the garden, there was a fun project that we did this summer. We made a scarecrow to keep watch over our crops and honestly, just because. There was a couple of times that the high winds knocked him down and his hat went sailing. Eventually a storm did take him down. This week he is officially back up, complete with a new shirt and everything!

The Fall crops have been planted and soon we will be enjoying more beets, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and peas.

This long Labor Day weekend, I am looking forward to the Seed Savers Exchange annual Tomato Tasting at their farm in Decorah, Iowa. They showcase numerous heirloom tomatoes and other vegetables. I also need to make another batch of pickles, pizza sauce, and salsa. For some reason, I think this weekend is going to fly by...

Happy Labor Day Weekend-

Melrose Peppers... A Chicago Staple

I'm not that much of a pepper person... usually I'll eat them only in salsa.

For me, green peppers have such an overpowering flavor. I am picky about my peppers.

There is one little, tiny exception... the Melrose pepper!

This is an heirloom pepper, famous in the Melrose Park area of Chicago. This is an Italian pepper, about 4'' long which is perfect for stuffing. It is sweet and full of flavor. They are green but turn red quickly. I found these seeds in my Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook and ordered them from a friendly gardener. I started a few seeds inside and then moved them to the gardens. They have done well this year!

To this day, Chicago area grocery stores proudly announce their arrival. Grandma Nancy is a big fan, and usually buys enough to freeze and make stuffed pepper dishes. We went over to the Coach house one day, and she offered us some of these. I was hooked!

Adam made a stuffed pepper dish with these. He stuffed them with fresh mozzarella, cooked pork sausage, and covered with my homemade canned red sauce (all fresh ingredients from the garden). Add a little grated mozzarella and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Delicious!