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The Dutchess County Fair offers not only chances at glory, but also cash prizes.

Tomato production is in high gear, and it’s all we can do to keep up. How many BLTs and caprese salads are too many? We will find out.

Jen stays hydrated as she tends her garden.

Jen retained her marmalade crown at the 176th Dutchess County Fair. Her peach-lemon marmalade is loved by all.

Sarah, debuting in the 18-and-older category, crocheted her way to glory with this beautiful blanket.

I eked out the bronze in sweet pickles.

Sarah, who benefits from a Montessori education as well as a preternatural grasp of spatial relations inherited from her mother’s side of the family, neatly packs the family car to head off to Colgate this afternoon. A+ work here.

John Harris has visited each summer for at least the last decade, although this year was the first time he didn’t bring his sons Will and Ben. And Daisy was a bit disappointed that he didn’t bring his yellow lab, Milo.

On Wednesday John and I crossed the river to climb Mount Tremper, a classic Catskills hike of 7.6 miles with no views whatsoever until the very top, where there is a fire tower. Unfortunately, the trap door to the top of the tower is locked during the week. This picture was taken with my head pressed diagonally against it.

Saturday was perhaps the observable height of the blackberry season. Here, Jen fills a gallon bag with them. Jam will follow. It’s also high season for wineberries, which, although invasive — possibly pestiferous — are sweet, and easy to gather. We collected a gallon of those too.

Flowers tend to bloom, and fruit tends to ripen, all at once. If you miss a weekend or two, you might miss something altogether.

This weekend, we had a couple of days of the sort referred to in meteorological circles as stinkeroos. Still, if the fruit is ripe, the jam must be made — and Jen rises to the task.

Sarah had a good day jumping with Scottie today at Southlands.

They participated in one event but somehow won three blue ribbons.

We had a quiet Independence Day weekend. On July 4, Sarah shucked corn while Daisy enjoyed a post-prandial stick.

Sarah has been feeling rather independent herself, after the initial surprise of her graduation present.

She has named it Stella.

It’s high season for Jen’s ever-expanding collection of peonies.

These are the most fragrant of all.

A surprising contribution to the beauty of spring flowers: fava beans, whose flowers look like irises.

Jen looks after them all.