Our Garden is Producing Lots of Great-Tasting Corn 🌽and Papayas🍐

Our garden’s been doing pretty well lately the corn and papayas are really coming in strong and we are finally seeing the payoff after putting in all that work back at the start of the season..

We have got three papaya trees scattered around the plot each one absolutely loaded with fruit. If you stand under them and look up it’s like they are hanging heavy with little golden and green orbs some are still small and firm bright green as they slowly ripen in the sun while the ones ready to eat have turned a warm buttery yellow.

Had to be careful moving around them yesterday when i was weeding the area nearby i accidentally brushed against a low branch and almost sent five more ripe ones tumbling to the ground. We already have a whole wicker basket full inside the house sitting on the kitchen counter where we can keep an eye on them and grab one whenever we want..

They are sweet enough to eat as is no sugar or anything needed the flesh is soft and juicy with just the right amount of tang to keep it from being too cloying. I have been having slices with my breakfast most mornings sometimes with a squeeze of lime to bring out the flavor even more. But honestly nothing beats picking one straight off the tree when the sun’s been out all day it’s warm to the touch and when you bite into it the juice runs down your chin before you can even catch it.

The corn rows over on the other side of the garden are doing great too. We planted two long rows back in late spring spacing them out just like we had read we should and now the stalks are tall enough to duck under when we walk through. We have been harvesting ears every few days we pick them when the husks are still tight and the silk at the top is just starting to turn brown ‘cause that’s when they are at their sweetest.

Some we boil up plain in a big pot on the stove just adding a little salt and a pat of butter once they are done simple but so satisfying. My dad’s favorite is when we fire up the grill on weekends and char them a little the outside gets all black and crispy in spots but the inside stays tender and juicy with this amazing smoky sweetness that you just can’t get any other way.

Last week we tried something new rubbing the grilled ears with garlic-infused oil and sprinkling them with grated cheese and a pinch of chili flakes. Honestly it was a game changer we ended up making a second batch right away ‘cause everyone wanted more. There are still plenty of ears starting to peek out between the leaves so we are already planning to freeze some for later blanching them quickly and packing them in freezer bags so we can have fresh tasting corn even when the season’s over.

We have also been picking the young papaya shoots that grow up around the base of the trees they are tender and light green, and we have learned to soak them in water for a few hours first to take out any bitterness. Then we cook them up in a wok with lots of garlic a splash of soy sauce and a little bit of oyster sauce they are crunchy and flavorful, totally different from the fruit but just as awesome to eat. We have even started sharing them with our neighbors along with the papayas and corn Mrs. Santos next door said she had never tried the shoots before but now she asks for them every time we see her..

It’s really nice having fresh stuff right in the backyard no trips to the store no guessing what kind of chemicals might have been used on it. We just walk out pick what we need give it a quick wash and it’s ready to go. My mom keeps mentioning we should set up a small stand by the side of the road to sell some of the extra produce but we are not sure yet we had rather keep most of it for us and share with family and friends. There’s something special about being able to feed people food you have grown yourself knowing exactly where it came from and how much care went into it.

We are already thinking about what to plant next year maybe add a couple more corn varieties to try out different flavors and definitely another papaya tree ‘cause three just is not enough once everyone starts asking for some.. We are also looking into making papaya jam with all the extras we can’t eat fast enough i have been checking out recipes online and it looks pretty straightforward plus we could give jars away as gifts for Christmas next year...

Thats all for now.. Thank you 😊