It's early November and we have yet to experience a killing frost. As a result, our fall garden just keeps right on growing, and we keep right on harvesting wonderful veggies like these...
Crisp, flavorful, tender green beans. Planted (and harvested) by my very own "Grimy Reaper"...
There he is, reaping away. He's so much more pleasant to be around than that awful old Grim Reaper, no matter how dirty he gets. This kid loves to sow and reap, and I've found that a growing a fall garden is the best way for him to experience success in this area.
A while back I discovered that on our homestead, fall seems to be the easiest time of the year for growing a successful garden, and I think it's the tastiest time for the produce, too.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love growing spring and summer vegetables and will never give them up. Ever. But there's just something special about fall vegetable gardens...
A while back I discovered that on our homestead, fall seems to be the easiest time of the year for growing a successful garden, and I think it's the tastiest time for the produce, too.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love growing spring and summer vegetables and will never give them up. Ever. But there's just something special about fall vegetable gardens...
Vegetable plants produce best when they're not stressed out. (As do I, but I'm learning not every conversation has to be about me...dang it.) The less-intense sunlight and more temperate weather that signal the arrival of autumn create an ideal situation for growing many vegetables.
Also, most garden pests have completed their life-cycle, so they're not around to thwart my efforts. And as a much-thwarted gardener, I'll shout a hallelujah to that!
As a bonus, the occasional fall cold snaps bring about bursts of flavor in the fruits that are not present in any other season. The cold actually helps convert the natural starches to sugar, so the vegetables taste sweeter, crisper, and fresher...or more fresh. Or just fresh. Oh good grief, I get hung up on the dumbest things!
But I occasionally do something smart--like taking advantage of this time of year. Beginning around about the end of August we start sowing for the fall harvest. We tend to plant varieties that can handle cool weather and that produce quickly, since we never know when the first frost will hit. Here are the main vegetables we chose for our fall garden this year:
Also, most garden pests have completed their life-cycle, so they're not around to thwart my efforts. And as a much-thwarted gardener, I'll shout a hallelujah to that!
As a bonus, the occasional fall cold snaps bring about bursts of flavor in the fruits that are not present in any other season. The cold actually helps convert the natural starches to sugar, so the vegetables taste sweeter, crisper, and fresher...or more fresh. Or just fresh. Oh good grief, I get hung up on the dumbest things!
But I occasionally do something smart--like taking advantage of this time of year. Beginning around about the end of August we start sowing for the fall harvest. We tend to plant varieties that can handle cool weather and that produce quickly, since we never know when the first frost will hit. Here are the main vegetables we chose for our fall garden this year:
Black Beauty Zucchini, for its good old-fashioned, clean flavor and fast maturity.
Top Crop Green Beans, for great taste and high yields.
Asian Greens, 'cause I like a little spice and texture in my fall salads. (And the chickens do too.)
Armenian Cucumbers, because I had the seeds and was curious. Turns out, they taste great, and we love their look--shrively, bumpy, prickly. Right up our alley...our dark, spooky, Reaper-filled alley.
I must still in be in the Halloween mood. Give me a minute, it'll pass.
I must still in be in the Halloween mood. Give me a minute, it'll pass.
Okay, I'm better. These are my Green Envy Tomatoes, which I grew because I like the name. And I may have been on a Dateline NBC overload when I planted them. I kept imagining Keith Morrison, in his goose bump-worthy voice, slowly and dramatically reading the name on the seed packet.
Thankfully, our tomato patch was crime-free...virtually. The only offense committed was done by the turkey, who decided the bite-sized fruits were there just for him. But I'll get my revenge--Thanksgiving is drawing near. (Cue the evil grin and the bone-chilling laugh.)
Boy, I really am still stuck on Halloween.
My apologies. Shall we finish our tour? Maybe it'll get my overactive imagination out of the graveyard.
Thankfully, our tomato patch was crime-free...virtually. The only offense committed was done by the turkey, who decided the bite-sized fruits were there just for him. But I'll get my revenge--Thanksgiving is drawing near. (Cue the evil grin and the bone-chilling laugh.)
Boy, I really am still stuck on Halloween.
My apologies. Shall we finish our tour? Maybe it'll get my overactive imagination out of the graveyard.
Connecticut Field Pumpkins should lighten the mood--we planted them just for the fun of it. These fellas won't reach maturity before the frost gets them, but their big shady leaves help keep the weeds down, and the chickens enjoy pecking at the unripened pumpkins--it keeps them busy. We all need something to do, right?
Well, now you know what the Grimy Reaper and I'll be doing--munching on all these garden goodies 'til they meet their demise at the hands of another fictional figure: Jack Frost, this time. He'll sneak up on us soon, but he won't end our fun. We'll just go play in the greenhouse, where the winter garden is just sprouting up. That's what I like about homestead life--when one thing ends, another begins.
And I am such a sucker for new beginnings! (And the Dateline Mystery of the Week.)
Well, now you know what the Grimy Reaper and I'll be doing--munching on all these garden goodies 'til they meet their demise at the hands of another fictional figure: Jack Frost, this time. He'll sneak up on us soon, but he won't end our fun. We'll just go play in the greenhouse, where the winter garden is just sprouting up. That's what I like about homestead life--when one thing ends, another begins.
And I am such a sucker for new beginnings! (And the Dateline Mystery of the Week.)
| By the way, guess what costume Will chose for Halloween this year... |  |
| It was a bit Grim, but I guess even a Grimy Reaper has his occasional dark moments. At least we got candy! |  |
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