Okra-Palooza

Last year Farmer and I sowed a long row of okra seeds. I had never had grown okra before (i think I tried one year but the seeds never germinated). So we planted lots!

If you remember, and how can you forget, how awful the drought was last year and nothing really fruited. My tomatoes finally started putting off fruit in the fall and everything else followed. But the okra...oh the okra prevailed through the hottest year on record. And I was up to my eye balls in Okra.

I learned a pretty good lesson...do not plant so much next year!

So that's what I did.. I sowed about 4 or 5 okra seeds and waited. They had a slow start but I can guarantee they are making up for lost time.

Now it will not be the year of the okra this year (thank goodness) but I am still overwhelmed with it! They grow so fast and before I know it they are too hard and woody to eat.

I just found this out the other day while looking through one of Farmer's Grandmother's gardening books that Okra is called Gumbo (or Gombo) in Africa.. and last year I learned that Okra is a big part of the Cajun's dish, Gumbo (don't judge me for my ignorance!). 

Never knew the background of the word! Pretty neat!!

So this year I will be making a lot of Gumbo :)  And probably some pickling too!