The day in the low 30s was mostly sunny (which helped a lot) but very windy (which helped not at all). We worked in many layers of clothing, hats, hoods and insulated gloves.
We pulled the cucumber and green pepper beds which had been under cold frames. All the other raised beds got cleared out, too.
I got five more servings of Brussels sprouts for the freezer. Lots of teeny-tiny heads left that went to the chickens.
There were more usable green peppers than I thought there would be. Here's a 5-gallon bucket full, full, full. I'll have enough to make more stuffed green peppers (than I really need) and plenty to chop and freeze for cooking.
One 5-gallon bucket of carrots. I didn't plant as many this year (finally wised up) because we just don't go through that many any more. I don't process and preserve carrots, just store them for fresh snacking and tossing in soups, etc.
I do process and freeze beets and I have two buckets of them waiting for my attention. Like the carrots, the beets are beautiful this year.
We pulled the last of the turnips. Some got too big for human consumption, but I think I'll try cooking them for the poultry. ('m going to have to check to see if that's okay.) Maybe the big ones would be suitable for fermenting for us. I'll have to see how woody they seem inside.
The bed of mangels planted for winter chicken goodies yielded three 5-gallon buckets. The above picture has no color enhancement. Aren't they attractive roots?
Today has dawned in the upper 20s with only the low 30s forecast as a high. There's frost all over everything, and Papa Pea reports there's a hard crust on the top of the garden's soil so I think we're going to be wusses and wait until about 10 o'clock to venture out for another day of seeing what we can get done out there.
12 comments:
That is quite a feat - given the size of your garden! We awoke to temps in the mid/high 20s this morning. I refuse to start the furnace until November, so the dependents are huddled in furry piles, covered with various fleece blankets. They may riot at any minute...
Had no idea mangles were so pretty! I've only seen old-timey black & white pictures of some hillbilly looking lady holding a mangle the size of a softball. Can't wait to start my mangles next year....got some from a very nice (yet oddly strange) friend.
Susan - My cold-blooded (that didn't sound good, did it?) husband would never survive in your house! A couple of minutes ago, he came into the kitchen where I was in the process of making stuffed green peppers and exclaimed how cold it was. I'm peeled down to my last layer!
Carolyn - Hey! That was ME in that old-timey photo!
Signed,
Your very nice (yet oddly strange) friend
I think this year's cooler temps were really good for root crops. I'm not so sure about beets (hubby would join you for pickled beets!) , but I could easily use another few buckets of carrots. I've never had as many as this year, but STILL didn't end up with enough for fresh eating!!
We're out on a final small trip for our winter "supplies"--and I'm so ticked--it's been flurrying and spitting snow down here in Iowa/IL/WI . I should be AT HOME with the soup pot bubbling full of goodies and bread baking, not in a hotel with insomnia and no stove!!!!! ARGH!
Wow, you really had a good harvest. I guess I have to look forward to next year and write this year off as a loss.
I absolutely can not believe your harvest bounty.... particularly this time of year!!!! Aren't green peppers a 'warm-loving' plant? Yours look awesome!!
All of your root vegetables are beautiful! I have the hardest time growing root vegetables, but I'm determined to succeed.
Sue - I know, this recent weather kinda sorta makes me think Old Man Winter is going to arrive a little early this year. We had a dusting of snow all over everything when we got up this morning.
Putting carrots in an envelope and sending them to you to help your supply!
Kristina - Yes, our root crops did really well. Don't all of us gardeners always look forward to "next year?" I'm just glad I don't have to start planting again right now!
Lisa - Don't forget I had the green pepper plants under a cold frame. All the same, I felt very lucky to get as many as I did. I made 16 servings (for the two of us) using the small to medium peppers I had to work with plus lots of chopped green peppers to use in cooking all winter. (Probably more than I will need!)
And, yes, we are still marveling (over and over) at the late harvest of so much in the garden. Sure does confuse one as to what to expect!
The Weekend Homesteader - That's the one thing we can almost always count on being able to grow . . . root crops. We hear tales of the early homesteaders up here making it through the winter on root vegetables alone. Glad we don't have to do that! Good luck with yours.
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