So far, this has been a great growing season, and I’m thrilled to see gardeners reaping the rewards of their hard work. After last year’s severe drought, it’s been a welcome relief to witness such a productive turnaround. The gardens are truly flourishing, and the harvests are abundant.

Some gardeners are even picking up to 115 cucumbers in a single day! One gardener joked that he’s “had enough pickles” for now. He’s made sweet pickles, dill pickles, sour pickles, and relish—enough to last for the next two years. He laughed, saying, “If I make any more, I might just turn into a pickle myself!” With so many cucumbers in abundance, gardeners have been generously sharing their harvests with neighbors, family members, and food banks. And of course, a variety of homemade pickles have been shared along the way.

Beans are running late this season due to a slow start caused by weather conditions. However, corn is nearly ready to harvest for most gardeners, though it might be another week or so before it’s pulled from the stalk. Tomatoes are also taking their time to ripen, but we should be able to can tomatoes and tomato juice very soon. On a brighter note, squash is thriving, and gardeners are harvesting a good amount of onions, lettuce, peas, and potatoes. Many have already begun canning and freezing their vegetables, preparing for the colder months ahead.

If the gardens continue to thrive as they have so far, this could turn out to be a bumper year for food—grown, shared, preserved, and enjoyed by many.