I'm way backed up on recording my garden activities. I have about 500 photos to sort, maybe 10 topics to post. I'll gradually get to posting these in the next few days (I hope).
Here's a quick summary.
- A writer and photographer from the Boston Globe came to my house yesterday to see my garden produce and check out my pumpkin bread recipe. They may do a story on this soon.
- I harvested most of my community garden crops on Monday. SO MUCH! What a bounty.
- Need to figure out how to store my chile peppers. I'd like to dry them.
- Need to sit down and do some serious eggplant eating and enjoying as I don't think this stores well.
- I'm doing fall garden clean-up now. Cover crops are sprouting well.
- I'll follow Farmer Gretta's advice for dealing with Late Blight during clean-up.
- My pumpkin harvest was fantastic, 3 big blue/gray Jarrahdale's.
- I have been working on a pumpkin bread recipe that comes out just how I like it. I have a good version now (about 10 loaves later).
- I need to do more work on the honey CSA so this will happen next year.
- I still need to review my composting methods/problems.
- I've heard the Farmer's Almanac is predicting numbing cold this winter :( I need to find a copy.
- I have received some very exciting new garden books to review.
14 comments:
Congrats on the possible news article! I need to look into drying peppers as well, if you could post anything on the process that would be great. I tasted the first Charentais melon today, wow they are amazing. To bad yours didn't grow well this year, you will definitely have to try them again next year. I put some photos up of me eating them, ha =D
that's mean Dan. I'm jealous. I will watch for your photos.
Congrats on the seed swap day! It seems like a great success. I was sad I missed it. I wanted to hear what Gretta had to say about the Blight. Did she say anything about how to care for the soil where tomatoes with blight were planted? I already took all the tomatoes out (bagged them) and I wanted to plant some garlic in their place, but I was wondering if I should do something to the soil first to prevent any blight spores to survive the winter. Any ideas?
Good luck on the article. You are a busy veggie gardener. I do little veggies, because of light, but am putting in a fall veggie garden of greens.
I really do feel bad that yours didn't do well, it really sucks. Definitely not a good year from melons, I'm surprised I harvested any. I shared seed with Granny too and she had the best harvest. Not sure how many she picked but it was a lot. Next year I am growing more Savor F1 from Johnny's, they yielded the best.
Good to know what melon did best for you. I'm still deciding whether to try melons again.
hey
i saw that you mentioned needing a copy of the farmer's almanac. www.farmersalmanac.com has great weather information as well at least to tide you over until you can get the paper copy.
Enjoy!
~felicia~
By the way, I looked at that sliding garden planner and I might need to send in my 5 as well!
Congrats on the potential article! I think I may have five fewer dollars in my account soon too. ;)
Loved reading about your recent activities and future plans. You must be a very organized and busy lady.
I have dried chillies on a warm south facing window ledge, well spread out on a tray then put in a jar when they are dry enough for the seeds to rattle. I think I might try making chilli oil next year as well. Sounds like you got a good harvest this year.
I dry my chili's in the oven. Set oven on the lowest temp (I use warm) and bake. Place chili's on cookie sheet in single layer and let the oven do the work. Turn them every now and then. It does take several hours but it works great.
After they are dried we store in a mason jar. My son makes the best hot pepper flakes with a combination of the nine different varieties we grow.
Claudia, Our Michigan State Extension agent wrote a great article on the blight. I posted it on my blog, the garden for eatin'. She said nothing needs to be done to the soil as the spores will not survive the winter in MI. I don't know where you are, but you can check with your extension agent in your area.
Rachel,
I have also dried a few on the window sill, but some don't do so well. Our weather has been damp off and on.
Think I'll try the oven. Although last time I tried this for "sun" dried tomatoes I burnt them black. This is a common problem I have in the kitchen.
Love the sound of the multi variety mix!
Janet - This is what I'm hearing about late blight too. Compost or dig under the plants. The winter will kill all spores. Important is to remove all volunteer potatoes next year. They will be the potential problem.
Johnny's Seeds just did a write up on how not to overwinter late blight in a New England garden, can be found here:
http://growingideas.johnnyseeds.com/
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