Our Summer harvest recap: Tomatoes, garlic, and what felt like an endless supply of basil.

Our Summer Harvest Recap: Tomatoes, Garlic, and (Endless) Basil Dreams

As the golden days of summer give way to the softer light of early autumn, it’s time to take a deep breath and look back at what our little patch of soil gifted us this season. Spoiler: it was a lot much more than we anticipated and more than enough for us, to share with friends, and to sell at the farm stall.

🍅 Tomatoes: 60kgs of garden glory

This was the tomato summer. From the constant supply of cherry toms to the grosse lisse and beefsteaks that practically begged to become sauce, our plants went above and beyond. Sixty kilograms in total. Yes, you read that right. We roasted, attempted to dry (that was a fail), sauced, and froze to our heart’s content—and still ended up with plenty to give away and sell at the stall. The tinyhouse .guests were even all treated to a seasonal spread of rainbow tomatoes. A bumper crop like this makes all the trellising and side-shoot pinching worth it. The standout winner was a little purplish cherry that was about an inch in diametre. We don't know which variety it actually was but instead the kids have called it "Mama's purple cherry" so if anyone can ID it we'd love to know for sure. 10/10 for flavour and vigour.

🧄 Garlic: 50kgs of pure, pungent perfection

Our garlic officially turned into a garlic empire however this season due to the lack of soil prep and the weather the bulbs were significantly smaller than past seasons. With 50 kilograms pulled from the ground, we’re practically ready to ward off a vampire apocalypse. We would've usually braided some for storage, and set aside plenty for next season’s planting however due to our timing we missed the boat for braiding and have had to store what we can in hessian sacks and ddehydratethe rest. This was because of late rain and then suddenly hot weather which meant the stems dried too quickly to braid without snapping. Our holidays also collided with garlic harvest so all things considering we are happy with the hual. It meant less to sell and smaller seed for the coming season (which planting time is now) but still ample for our own use and to share with family.

🌿 Basil: The unexpected gift that just kept giving

Somehow, basil had never seemed to thrive for us. This year we interplated .it with the chilli's and tomatoes along with marigolds. Endless bunches filled the garden beds and the kitchen bench. Some was dried in the dehydrator for shaker herbs. We even tried basil ice cubes for the first time. Highly recommend if you love tossing a herbal hit into winter soups and sauces. Another mum at school recommended it and now it's all I'll do! It was so easy and with a splash of olive oil they came up great.

🌽 Corn: The one that got away

Now for the honesty moment. We missed the corn. Life happened. A few too many days slipped by and suddenly the cobs were dry and starchy instead of juicy and sweet. It’s a little gutting, but that’s the reality of a busy homestead, you win some, and you compost the rest.

🥒 Zucchini: The daily deluge

If you’ve ever grown zucchini, you know. They go from "just about ready" to "cricket bat-sized" overnight. We had daily harvests, and still a few sneaky ones ballooned under the leaves. Those became goat feed or saved for seeds. We froze enough for the year ahead grated in freezer bags, and dehydrated kilo's for veggie stock. Taking them in weekly to work and selling them at the gae there was no shortage until the first frost. I didn't weigh in the season but easily it surpassed 100 zucchini over the seaon. Lets just say 3 plants last season sas plenty and 12 plants this season was ridiculous. Zucchini season is a wild ride. But my favourite.

🍆 Eggplants: Small crop, big flavour

About 20 glossy, purple beauties made their way from the garden to our plates. They’re one of those crops that take their time, but they’re worth it if you enjoy them. Given I am the only one in our house who eats them we gave away a lot. They just look so pretty in the garden.

🥔 Potatoes: The Hidden Treasure

There’s something so satisfying about digging for potatoes. Weighing them we ened up with 33 kilos. A generous yeild, varied, and earthy. Our favourites? The buttery Dutch Creams and the reliable Sebago, both excellent roasted with garlic (thank you, 50kgs of it) and rosemary. We blanched and froze most of it but if we had of cured them better we could've stored them in the cupboard in hessian.

🌿 Herbs: Overflowing Abundance

Thyme, oregano, mint, rosemary, and chives spilled over beds and paths, each doing their own thing and making every meal taste like summer. The bees loved the flowers, and so did we.

Looking Ahead

This summer reminded us that gardens are generous, unpredictable, and full of surprises. Sometimes you’re knee-deep in tomatoes, sometimes you forget the corn—but there’s always something to appreciate. We’re already planning what we’ll do differently next year (hello, earlier corn vigilance), and what we’ll grow even more of (garlic, we’re looking at you).

Here’s to full baskets, dirty hands, and the slow joy of a homegrown summer.

Happy gardening,

Clair 🌿