It is apricot season—somewhat earlier than usual—and seemingly all at once. Our three trees planted about fifteen years ago in one hole and pruned as a single tree usually spread the harvest over about four weeks.

Not so this year. In two weeks of harvesting we’re up to 63 pounds and on track for a typical 80 pounds. Neighbors and family like apricot season too.

Currently we’ve stored the best of the apricots in four 9 x 13 inch covered metal cake plans in the fridge. Most of the aluminum pans are Wearever brand that belonged to my grandmother. She had fruit trees too.

My scientist husband is the “sorter in chief” and I plan the next uses. On my list for the coming week: apricot ice cream, apricot jam, frozen stewed apricots, apricot crostada and perhaps another round of Apricot-Lavender Shrub.

Without a doubt, my favorite way to eat apricots is lightly stewed. I usually freeze about thirty pints that we can enjoy all year. ‘Dorsett Golden’ apple season begins soon and last year we made a pureed apricot-applesauce that quickly became a favorite. I’m experimenting with combining the purees of apricots and strawberry guavas.

Arugula and lettuce were the only harvests last week though spring onions, herbs and calendulas continue. The romaine lettuce, grown in dappled sun, was the perfect base for chicken caesar salad.

I finally “planted” the new little boys’ cotton briefs for the USDA: Soil Your Undies experiment. Check my earlier blogpost link above for details. We’ll see something about the microbial activity of my soil on 100% cotton undies. I planted them in the butternut squash area. A cobble marks the spot and I’ll dig up the undies (buried three inches deep) when I harvest the squash.

Calendulas and feverfew growing with the vegetables, cheering me and attracting pollinators and beneficial insects.

See what I planted in my summer vegetable garden this week. What I’m Planting Now. Then head over to see what other garden bloggers around the world harvested last week at Harvest Monday hosted by Dave at Happy Acres blog.

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