Freshly emerged from the chrysalis. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? Our entire entryway has been turned into a monarch nursery. I realize we may regret letting the milkweed take over, but not today. Welcome to the world, you miraculous creation. It’s been an honor hosting you. ...

Behold, the onions have officially been harvested! Lucky for us, voles don’t seem to like onions. So, unlike our cucumbers and peas and melons, the onions are spectacular this year. No idea why, but I’m grateful.

For those wondering, we plant Copra onions. They taste fantastic and are super for storing. They arrive as sad little sticks in early May. I rush them out into the garden and plunk them in carefully measured rows. They look pathetic. It’s hard to believe they’ll do anything but tip over and die.

But wait, and one day you glance over and realize they are now actual thriving, growing onions. Then the bulb forms. Will they be big this year? You never really know. It depends on water and sun and the quality of what you planted.

THEN, once the tops have begun to brown and tip over, it’s harvest time. At which point it’s a race against the rain. Ideally these can cure in the garden bed, basking in brilliant September sun for two weeks.

But this is Maine. So they’re on a sheet in the barn. They come out when it’s sunny, and they cure inside when it’s wet. And after a few weeks, they get proper haircuts for their class photo in their basket (get ready) before going into the basement for winter. ...

Welcome to The Microhomesteading Show. I’m your host, and this is my pickle production for 2021 from the six plants we put in. #abundance #bounty #picklepride #mastergardener ...