If this deal was on your radar at all, then NOW is the time to go. The last day for u-pick this season is going to be this Saturday June 8th! I didn’t get a chance to go, but I’m guessing it was either a smaller crop or more publicized as they are still $5 for 25 lbs!

U-pick tomatoes are once again available at Hunsader Farms. They seem to be starting a little later this year, so I want to give you a heads up in case it gets too hot for the tomatoes to last long by the time they get to be $1 for 25 pounds!  The only catch is this is a u-pick farm, meaning you have to actually do the work and pick them.  Check out Hunsader’s facebook page and website for more information and directions.  As always, call ahead to make sure tomatoes are available! There is a limit of fifteen 25lb buckets per person.  I can’t even begin to imagine how I would preserve that many tomatoes! Also available for u-pick is eggplant, okra, and black eyed peas.  One tip:  if you pick other veggies, be sure you know how much they weigh and how much they are per lb before you go all crazy, because once you pick it, it’s yours.  Happy picking!  Look for updates when Hunsader Farms drops down to just $1 for 25lbs!   $5/25 lbs is still an awesome deal to be had on fresh picked produce.

*Just a head’s up, Hunsader Farms is a local farm located in Bradenton, FL. 🙂

• While you’re on Facebook, check out Addicted to Saving!

Well, my weekly gardening update this time has turned into a monthly gardening update.  My garden is pretty much leveled.  When all is said and done, I probably harvested between 50 – 75 peppers.  It was great to go out and pick peppers every day.  I know my last few posts about my garden had me complaining about leaves, branches, peppers and more being eaten.  Well, EVERYTHING has been eaten.  There are still some branches left, but all the peppers, leaves, tomatoes, etc are gone.  It was crazy – there would be a few huge chili peppers hanging one night and then the next morning they were entirely gone.  I know many of you said horn worms were destroying my garden?  I am not doubting you, but it is just odd because I never saw any horn worms after careful inspection of my garden.  And, can a horn worm really eat an entire chili pepper in less than 8 hours?  So so odd.  I’m worried about planting my fall garden because I am concerned that if my soil is infested with horn worms, they will return when I plant more.  Do any of you have any thoughts on that?

Above is the remnants of my pepper plants.  They were thriving and doing so well until the branches, leaves and peppers were eaten. 🙁

Close up of pepper plants.  So sad.

One lone Cayenne Pepper.  I do still have about 25 Cayenne Peppers I have drying in my kitchen.

I do have a huge surprise for you!  Do you remember me complaining that my basil plants were dead?  Originally I planted the basil in a small pot but then I transplanted them into my raised garden bed.  Well, they were doing horrible.  They were yellow, had black dust on them, etc.  Well, I had given up on my garden over 4 weeks ago and then a week ago, I was looking at it and saw that not only was my basil flourishing, but it was spreading!  SO exciting for me!  If there was any herb that I could literally cook with three meals a day, it is basil.  So, I’m happy about my thriving and spreading basil! 🙂

How are your gardens doing?  Did you find that any of your fruits and vegetables flourished?  Which ones did poorly?  Would love to hear your updates and any tips you have on my fall garden, I would love to hear!  Because remember – I am brand new to gardening.  This is my first gardening experience!