A Hectic Harvest To Kick Off Autumn

Among the various projects that needed done before winter
was the addition of a new greenhouse roof due to ours
shredding in a wind storm in the summer heat.

     As the leaves begin to turn on our maple trees and the farm cats are dashing here and there underneath the black walnut trees so not to be beaned on the head by the plummeting walnuts, autumn is officially upon us.  With autumn comes the last of the usual harvest seasons around here, and more than a little work to put the garden to bed for winter.  

     By the beginning of September we had reached $1,000 worth of produce harvested from our gardens, and as we pull out row after row of dried beans, green and red tomatoes, and even a second patch of late-season sweet corn, we're sure to only increase that number.

Fall comes to the garden in a beautiful array of colors.

The flowers of Scarlet Runner
Beans add a splash of color.

     Throughout September we've been busy getting in the harvests, especially those of the dried beans, which are now decorating the house in baskets of color as they continue to dry.  We may have gone slightly overboard in beans, but last year we just simply did not have enough to last us the year.  In all, this year, we planted a double half row of Kidney Beans, two full rows of Scarlet Runner Beans, two rows of Black Turtle Beans, a double half row of Hutterite Soup, a double half row of Jacob's Cattle, and also two full rows of Pinto Beans.  Not to mention, the two full rows of Lima Beans, some of which are being dried, while most will be frozen.  It's a lot of beans, which means a lot of shelling by the light of the television set at night, just the way our pioneer mothers did it.  (Seriously, we all need a little humor to get through harvest season.)

Mountains of basil, parsley and thyme (not pictured)
came out of the garden yesterday.

     The most frantic of the harvests of the last of our peppers, tomatoes, warm-season herbs, and broom corn occurred yesterday as a frost warning popped across our phones, sending a chilly reminder that autumn is upon us.   By this morning, the temperatures were barely tipping freezing at 8 a.m., and the Plymouth Barred Rocks and Delawares were getting impatient for their "chicken porridge" for breakfast.  With geese honking overhead, I hurried to the greenhouse to check on the crops.  With the frost only laying in the dips of the garden, the temperature read 53 degrees, and the three tomato plants seemed cozy in their warm home.

     This year; however, our harvest is not planned to stop with the last leaf dancing in the wind.  With the addition of the greenhouse, (see Preparing For A Frosty Fall) one can hope, we can continue to harvest into winter.  For some reason, we thought that not having a break in gardening was a good idea.  Ask me again in January if I'm still feeling that this was a wonderful plan.

     Although not all of the crops are harvested from the garden as the celery, carrots, dried beans, and oats could withstand the frost, it will certainly be a hectic day today as I put up the last of our warm season crops and try my hand at propagating some of the herbs.  As it looks like another few frosts will be upon us by the end of the week, I better get to work.  Happy harvesting everyone.

Frost in  a dip on the edge of the garden pathway this morning.