Summer Solstice North of the Arctic Circle

Yesterday (June 21) was the summer solstice and in the NWT it is a statutory holiday and a way for everyone to celebrate National Aboriginal Day. I spent my entire morning in the garden! I have been away for the past week as I managed to run the half marathon in Dawson City, Yukon. With all the running training and then the time away my garden has actually not received much attention lately so June 21 was the perfect day for me to put some TLC into the garden.

A friend and I were chatting at the greenhouse and we both agreed that the gardens are growing much differently this year with the new roof at the Inuvik Greenhouse. Our theory is that the plants started much earlier and quicker but that they are not growing as 'full' as previous years. I will continue monitoring to see how this goes as the season progresses and also how it affects the year end crops.

 

I found a 'helper' in my little 2-year friend M. and we worked the garden for 2 hours together. He was in charge of the mini wheelbarrow, a mini water can and playing in the water barrel! I was in charge of actually working the garden!

• My spinach barely grew at all and has already bolted so I pulled of it and planted new seeds.
• A lot of the Asian greens in a salad seed mix had also bolted so I harvested and picked out that.
• Beets and carrots needed thinning a bit already and I will eat what was thinned in pesto or salads.
• A couple rows needed replanting of new seeds as my green onions (seed tape) never did grow and I realized there was a row I don't think I ever put seeds into!

Other than those tasks, everything else just needed a bit of harvesting (salad greens, bok choi, kale, chard, herbs, onions, etc). M. went home with a bag of greens for his mom and dad and I went home with a huge bag of greens also. Some I will use for salads and some I will use for soup.

 

Pretend Wonton Soup

Extra lean ground beef/pork/chicken/turkey
Lipton chicken soup mix
Carrots
White onion
Garlic
Lots of greens from the garden (chard, bok choi, kale)

Brown the onions, garlic and ground beef in a large pot, drain any fat. Cut carrots into thin sticks and sauté slightly with ground beef mixture. Add water and soup mix to the ground beef/onion/garlic/carrot mixture. Simmer and cook together. Add greens to blanche together. This easy summer soup really does taste like wonton soup!

Happy gardening!

S.