Thursday, November 5, 2015

Around the Garden







Without fail, every autumn season brings us a few days of summer like temperatures, and this week was the week. It has been downright balmy here, and I took advantage of this wonderful gift from Mother Nature to get the final chores done around the garden.

Raised beds were topped with leaves, the garlic was planted and covered with straw, the strawberries got tucked in under a layer of straw, and another raised bed was covered with row covers, ready for an early spring planting. I can't tell you how lovely it was to be outside in the sunshine, feeling the heat of the autumn sun as I worked around the yard. It was filling on so many levels, and nourished my soul deeply.

There are still a few things to tend to around the garden. The blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries all need a little pruning and care, and the asparagus needs some care, a top dressing, and a deep layer of mulch. Those things are on the to do list for the weekend. Once those are done the garden will be ready for its winter rest.

There are, of course, still a few things growing in the garden, tucked under the tunnels...Swiss chard, kale, beets and carrots. Every day I sneak out there to harvest a handful of fresh food from the backyard. Sometimes it is kale for a smoothie, or for kale chips, other times some chard to be sauteed for dinner, or maybe carrots and beets, harvested together, and roasted with garlic from the garden as a side dish for dinner. It's a good feeling to be able to harvest fresh food from the garden in November, and if all goes well, I will still be harvesting well into December, and maybe even January.

How are things around your garden?

**********

If you live locally, I have added a few new workshops to the winter lineup at Life at Nature's Pace. Check them out here!

20 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed seeing how your garden has changed with the seasons. It is a beautiful patch of earth for sure! We've had lots of rain lately and above than normal temperatures for this time of year. We're supposed to be in the low 80's today and tomorrow! Followed by more rain and cooler weather for the weekend...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Anke. I love this patch of earth I live on, and am so happy to be able to tend and nurture it. Yikes, that is hot! Stay cool, and enjoy the cooler weather on the weekend.

      Delete
  2. There is nothing more satisfying than eating from one's garden!
    Here is just a wet, soggy mess.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed! Oh no, sorry about that Tracey, not fun :(

      Delete
  3. Lots of work going on in your garden, Kim. I love that you're able to keep some things growing over the winter. It sounds like your garden pays back all your hard work, which is really wonderful. I hope you enjoyed that warm weather, it sounds lovely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, always Jennifer, but I do love it, and most days it doesn't feel like work :) We totally enjoyed the warm weather this week, it was a lovely gift.

      Delete
  4. beautiful - looks like a fairy garden

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love these posts Kim, seeing and hearing what you are doing in your garden. You are an inspiration. I need to tend to my garden too, put it to bed for the winter I hope to be able to do that over the coming week, time permitting of course! Have a lovely weekend :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, that is so sweet of you to say. I love being in the garden, I find peace out there, and often find answers to questions that have been floating around in my head. It is a space that fills me with much joy.

      I will be out there over the next week too, putting the final touches on the garden before winter comes. Enjoy your time in your garden.

      Delete
  6. Oh, we still have tons growing in the gardens as well! Like you, it amazes me that it is all still doing so well. You have been way more productive than us though. LOL! We still need to cover everything.

    I'm happy the weather could soothe your soul. Wishing you a wonderful special day tomorrow and a great week-end!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is wonderful to have food growing in November isn't it? Such a gift. Ha, get out there my friend, the snow will be here soon :)

      Thank you, hope you guys have a great weekend too!

      Delete
  7. It's all looking so great! This winter will be easy going food wise! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks KC! And yes, between the tunnel, the food in the freezer and the food on the pantry shelves, we will be eating homegrown food all winter long. It feels so good.

      Delete
  8. Your raised beds look so cosy, like they have been 'tucked in' for the winter!
    We didn't have much luck with our beets this year, they are quite tiny and we were thinking of just leaving them in the ground to see if they will 'start' again next spring - do you think this will work?
    I picked the last of the broccoli yesterday and if I don't get back out there soon the deer will have the last of my swiss chard.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope they feel cozy :)

      Hmmm...I am not sure what will happen. If you leave them I would suggest giving them a good layer of mulch for protection, and then remove it in the spring and see what happens. In my experience small beets are usually from not thinning them enough, they need a lot of room to grow, so an early thinning is really important.

      Get out there and get that chard before the deer do :)

      Delete
  9. oh i love your garden! it is amazing how different it looks from it's bountiful summer days. i don't have a garden to tuck in, but i do have some other things to winterize. we are supposed to get a dry, clear day today... so my plan is to finish up as much of the winter preparations as possible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jenny! Yes, it looks totally different, yet still brings me so much joy even when it is tucked in for the winter. I hope you can get all the winterizing done this weekend. My hope is to tackle the last few things around here too.

      Delete
  10. Warm sunshine and working in the garden sounds even better solace and I'm so glad it provided some healing. More and more I'm finding time outside in the garden, being productive, can be just what I need. And I have another gardening question for you! I have been busy gathering up leaves to compost (we have lots!), and I've also covered one of my beds with them already. There are plenty more leaves still to cover the others as I get to them. But then, come Spring and planting time, should I take off all the leaves again and let them compost some more elsewhere, or will I be able to just dig them into the soil and leave them in the bed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is amazing what a little time with your hands in the dirt can do for your soul. I am so happy you are enjoying your time in the garden Sally. That makes me smile.

      It depends how deep you piled the leaves. If it is really deep, you may want to remove some, but if it isn't too deep just go ahead and work them into the soil. Whatever is left on the surface can act as a good mulch too. Just move the leaves out of your rows when planting and once the seedlings come up and are big enough move the leaves around them. Hope that helps.

      Delete