Thursday, October 1, 2009

Poblano Farewell

Mid-season indication of the bountiful harvest to come
Planted on June 9th as 6" starts I nursed for over a month before planting, sadly, tonight the poblanos are dying as ice crystals swell inside of each watery cell of those beautiful peppers of Mexico--a result of the thermometer plunging into the low 20's. Alas, as they proved to be the most fecund pepper in the garden for a second year in a row; 12 plants yielded 3/4 of a bushel of juicy, broad 3-6" peppers.  

A bee covered in zucchini pollen methodically explores the Poblano flowers
Here in northern New Mexico, perennial Poblanos are doomed to live for only a single year of what could be many in a warmer locale--I had to apologize to the peppers this afternoon as I removed their protective plastic cover and heating lights that had extended their season for an additional week and a half. More than gaining additional growth in the fruit, the cheap cold-frames spread the harvest out over a couple of weeks and made the processes of drying (ancho the name becomes), pickling, and freezing a little more manageable for one.

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