The first sunflowers bloomed yesterday!  It’s always fun to watch them throughout the day as their faces follow the movement of the sun across the sky.  These blooms are about 5 to 6″ across.  We’ll bring some to market this week.

The ‘Cherokee Sunset’ rudbeckia are spectacular right now.  Last year we had a lot of damage from insects eating the petals, but haven’t seen any of that yet.  Probably because they are blooming a lot earlier.  I have just started seeing a few Japanese beetles around in the garden, and I am dreading their return.  They did a lot of damage to many crops last year.  I need to spend some time picking them off the plants when I see them, to try and put a dent in their population; but I’m not sure when I will have time to do that, with everything else going on around here.

The tomato plants have lots of blooms, and bees, on them.  We are starting to pick cherry tomatoes!

I love picking beans.

It’s more fun when Gavin picks the other side of the row.