Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Around the Garden













The photo right there, the last one, that is the final big harvest of our summer garden. I went out Sunday morning to pick what I could, knowing I was going to spend a good part of the day cleaning out the raised beds. Pretty much everything was pulled out on Sunday with the exception of the strawberries, which are still giving us a few handfuls every few days, the raspberries, which will be giving us a second crop in the next few weeks, the carrots that will be picked as we need them well into the winter, and the Swiss chard. The summer garden definitely had a few uphills battles this year....cabbage worms, hornworns, and a huge hail storm, but it persevered and provided us with harvest after harvest. Enough to eat all summer long, and enough to fill the pantry shelves and freezer. So much gratitude for all the food it has provided for us.

As I put most of the raised beds to sleep for the winter, two of the raised beds, and our dug-in cold frame are sprouting. The whole process of watching a seed sprout is amazing, and to think I now get to enjoy it not once a year, but twice, well that just makes me a little giddy. Everything is coming up nicely, the rows have been thinned, and now we just sit back and wait for harvest time. My protective row covers for the tunnels have arrived, and they will go up this weekend so we are prepared if Mother Nature decides to give us an early frost, which I have heard is a possibility.

The next big to do in the garden will be getting the garlic in. I am waiting for the last of the strawberries to ripen, and then will clean out that bed, and get it ready for the garlic. We have til mid October before we plant it, so there is time, but I know it will come up quickly. Other than that, four of the beds still need to be topped up with compost, and then I will be finished with the preparations for the spring 2015 garden.

How are things around your garden?

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38 comments:

  1. Oh that dug-in cold frame garden is coming along nice you are going to enjoy that this winter for sure. Your strawberries sure look good also. My had just a few left and I picked them Sunday. Have just a few more tomatoes to can and that is it. My son and I are planting garlic tonight. Summer sure has gone by quickly but I'm ready for a little crisp fall air. Also so you can leave your carrots out in the winter and they don't freeze? Have a great day

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    1. Thank you, I am so pleased with it, and how well it is working so far. It has gone by much too fast, we are feeling the crispness of fall a little bit here too.

      I am not sure about the carrots, going to try this winter after reading about it in one of my books. They will be under the tunnel, and I will give them a good layer of straw as well. When we want carrots for dinner, I will head out and dig some up. We shall see how it goes.

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    2. Let me know how they work out. What book were your reading this in?

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    3. Definitely. I am getting all my fall/winter gardening information from a book called The Year Round Vegetable Gardener by Niki Jabbour. Highly recommend it, awesome resource.

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    4. That book has been in my amazon save for later cart forever, going in the purchase cart now thanks!

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    5. Haha! No problem, you will love it!

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  2. It still looks so beautiful, especially in the sunshine. And how exciting to be watching those seedlings appear, it almost looks like Spring all over again in your photos.

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    1. Thank you Sally. It does, doesn't it? I love that :)

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  3. are you sad that your summer garden is done? I am. I think you had a great season even though the weather was not the best.

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    1. You know, not really. I enjoy the cycle of the seasons, and how they effect our lives, and the garden. Thank you, considering the weather, plus the bugs, and hail, I am pleased with the garden this summer.

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  4. sprouting in september... that is fantastic. your garden is still looking so beautiful!!!

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  5. Our garden is coming to an end too and is looking a bit of a mess! yours however still looks so neat - how do you do it!!
    We also harvested green beans and cucumbers this morning and a few beets and carrots for roasting this evening.

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    1. Awe, thanks. Lots of work :) Enjoy all that harvested food.

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  6. Replies
    1. No broccoli, wonder what you are spying :)

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    2. Meryl are you seeing a baby broccoli in that green raspberry?

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    3. Hmmm...that could be it Amanda :)

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  7. So wonderful that you're able to enjoy your garden produce right into winter. A beautiful witness to your hard work!

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    1. Thank you Alexa, hard work, but definitely worth it.

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  8. Hi Kim, thanks for your comment today - it was nice to come back to that space and I hope to carve out time for at least a few short posts here and there over the semester. Even though I've pulled back from my blogging community, I am soaking in every bit of your garden goodness! And your article in Holistic Parenting was lovely - I am inspired to plan a fall harvest stone soup gathering. Thank you for always sharing the peace and beauty in your life. It touches my life in a wonderful way.

    -Karen

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    1. You are so very welcome. I had been wondering what was keeping you away and was happy to read it is just life and the goodness it has to offer :)

      Thank you. You definitely should. We have done a few of them, and always have a wonderful time. And really the fall is the best time. I haven't received that issue yet, I can't wait to read it myself :)

      Are you trying to make me cry? Thank you for those lovely words. One day Karen, we will meet up in person, sooner than later, I hope. I can't wait for that. xo

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  9. Good work! You run a very efficient garden, with the cold frames all ready for any surprises by Mother Nature. That is one thing I would like to do in the next couple of years is put in a cold frame and try some late season stuff. Make sure you let us know how they are working out.

    Our garden is in a bit of a lull right now too as we wait for the brussels sprouts to be ready for harvesting. That's ok, gave us some time to discover other plant life - http://theplaceunderthepine.blogspot.ca/2014/09/garden-2014-update-5-and-more.html

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    1. Thanks Matt. I will definitely keep the blog updated with our fall/winter gardens. It is a big experiment for us and I look forward to sharing it with everyone.

      Hopping over now to take a peek.

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  10. So exciting to see your pumpkins! Mmm raspberries. I dream of those but it's too hot here. However blackberries are definitely growable here! Let's hope your frost holds off a bit. :)

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    1. Reece was pretty excited about them. Those raspberries are so good, planning to put in a few more bushes next year, along with blackberries and blueberries. Fingers crossed here :)

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  11. Your gardens look amazing! Ours started out great but aren't looking so lovely now, in part due to the end of the season and also in part to the fact that I think something got to our squash. It started out doing just fine and then the vine died and that was the end of that. I do think we need another bed next year and we surely need more flowers for our pollinator friends. A cold frame would be lovely too! I still think we have so much more to learn about raised bed gardens but for our first year (of raised beds) I think we did great! I have to get the two beds that are done pulled and put to sleep for the winter (hopefully this weekend) and then we can start dreaming of planting season 2015! xo

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    1. Thanks so much Shel. I still have so much to learn too. I am constantly learning and I have been growing food for 17 years :)

      Hope the clean up goes well on the weekend. xo

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  12. I wish all my crops still looked that good at this late date. LOL! next year, we will be better prepared and we will put together a real garden journal to not skip important dates. We missed many "windows" this year due to lack of preparation.

    So happy you are ddoing so well friend. All I can say for us is thank goodness for the farmer's market! :-)

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    1. Yes, on the farmer's market, we love ours, even if we don't need to buy that much. It is always nice to go and walk around, chat with a few farmers and enjoy the "feeling" of the market.

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  13. Have I told you too many times how your garden makes me S W O O O N?
    Just swoon. Are you getting much rain up there?
    Thank you my dear for the link. SO TOUCHED. And for your contribution today.
    As I wrote you in an email, you are such a special force for many of us.
    Glad we found eachother.
    xoxo

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    1. Well, if you have, it is okay by me, I love hearing it :) We have been getting a ton of rain, and more to come this evening and tomorrow. It has been a very wet August, and early September.

      You are very welcome, I hope sharing it helps make your dreams come true my friend. And happy to contribute, I can't wait to hear your new album.

      Have the most wonderful weekend. xo

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  14. Wow – look at that harvest! Always so beautiful and inspring and yummy, Kim! I especially love the spinach! Yum! In our garden, as you know, apples :) And the sunlight changing hues, changing angles, some areas in the garden not lit so much anymore...hello Autumn! xo

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    1. Thank you my dear friend. Hopefully next summer you, Steve and Bea will enjoy a meal from that backyard garden :) xo

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  15. okay hold on- you dig up your strawberries yearly? or so I gather from you saying you are going to clean out that bed for garlic. do tell. I am both confused and intrigued. (we have two raised beds for strawberries and regularly take runners from them and spread those around, but the beds kinda always just stay the strawberry beds. though I've heard every so often you really need to cull the older plants and just leave runners- is that what you are doing?

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    1. No, those strawberries are in their third and fourth year. We are doing a cull, and switching up the beds. I am going to take some runners and plant them in the new bed, and we will add some new plants as well in the spring. I have read that the garlic/strawberry switch works well, so we shall see. Once I move the strawberries to the new bed, they will stay there for another four years, and then I will switch them up again.

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    2. so glad I just checked in to see if you'd replied- we were just talking today about where we want to plant our garlic in another few weeks and what to do with our two strawberry beds that could use a little TLC. I think I'll give it a try, too- switching from strawberries to garlic. we've got a good place to re-home the berries and I'm happy to now be able to use the old strawberry beds for more veggies!

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    3. Awesome, we can compare notes next summer :)

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