The June 2024 Guide

I should say, “Hello, summer!” Living in southeast Iowa (I’m sure where you live, too), some days seem like gifts of near perfection, followed by times of intense heat. This June had days nearly breaking records with the heat index factored in, but we also had beautiful rains that have nourished the farm, and I can see new growth everywhere I look. After two years of drought conditions, I feel lucky for the moisture and hurt for those who have experienced flooding in other parts of the state.

June is the final month for planting in the garden and pumpkin patch, along with starting seeds indoors for a fall garden. The heat, coupled with the rain, helped the garden flourish, and soon, I’ll be harvesting tomatoes. As I write this, we currently have a reprieve from the heat, and I’m enjoying a cool breeze while sitting on the porch, so I’m excited to chat with you. Hopefully, you have an iced tea, frosty coffee, or a cocktail and can relax with me for a bit.

Let’s talk about food.

June brings the end of the early spring vegetables—lettuce, spinach, radish, and asparagus—but harkens in an early summer crop of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, strawberries, and kohlrabi. Let’s run through a few recipes I’ve been making lately.

Taco salad: I love to eat my recipe for taco salad every week, but at this time of year, when cabbage is bumping in the garden, I use cabbage as the base instead of lettuce. If I’m not in the mood for taco salad, I’ll go for coleslaw with some added protein. I always keep my grandma’s recipe for blender slaw dressing in my fridge, so I can make coleslaw anytime.

Potato salad: Recently, I posted my favorite potato salad. It’s a French-style salad with a bright vinaigrette with roasted white sweet potatoes. I cannot stop making this! Seriously, try it before the summer ends!

Grilled chicken: I shared my favorite marinated grilled chicken recipe in a newsletter last year, and I’ve been making it again, but with a few added tweaks:

• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed with a garlic press
• 2 tsp honey
• 3 tsp dried herbs of choice

Whisk everything together and add 1 lb of chicken breasts or thighs. Let the chicken sit in the marinade for 1-2 hours before grilling. This is my go-to, but I still need to add it to the website. I’ll see if Joel can take care of that! 🙂

If you missed any of the recipes I posted this month, you can check them out here:

• ​Herb crusted baked halibut​
• ​Quick pickled carrots​
• ​French potato salad​
• ​Greek turkey burgers with homemade tzatziki sauce​

With a big US holiday on the horizon this week, make sure to check out all of my recipes for your Fourth of July party!

Let’s talk about the garden.

Right now, everything seems possible in the garden. The rain has been good, and the plants look great…

Oh, wait. I forgot to mention that the Japanese beetles arrived for the year. 😥 Gardening keeps you humble, and this year is a reminder of that. The Japanese beetles hit the farm hard. The orchard is inundated, and most fruit trees have had their leaves eaten and altogether riddled. The trees are too large for me to remove the beetles by hand or with any other manual method. I know many people recommend trap bags. Research is mixed on whether the bags help or if they actually end up attracting even more beetles. The damage is done for this year, so maybe next year, I’ll try traps far away to attract the beetles elsewhere and see what I think.

This month, I received two really great questions during my weekly Q&A, and I think we could all learn from them.

In case you missed it, I just published my video about installing my new pathway for a new perennial bed. Check it out when you have a second!

Let’s talk about Kip.

Kip, my almost 6-year-old (how is that possible?!) French bulldog, has been living his best life this year. He’s healthy and happy and spends most days with me in the garden until it gets too warm, then he heads indoors for a long nap in the cool air. I’m always mindful of his comfort, so he’s only outdoors in the morning or evening if it’s warm. Lately, his treats have been fresh blueberries that I’ve been picking locally; he loves anything I’m eating that I can’t give him, so being able to share something healthy with him makes me happy.

His innocent joy and love are a constant source of joy and companionship, making me feel incredibly lucky.

I can’t wait to chat with you again after the next month. I’m sure there will be so much to talk about! Until then, stay cool and safe!