Garden Update (last one?)

Our summer garden is winding down. However, Yardsnacker is working on prepping it for some winter gardening. Yeah, you read that right. A winter garden. Lettuce, kale, peas, and lots more. So while this may be my last post about our summer garden (or maybe one more, we'll see) you will still see some future garden posts throughout the winter.


We are still harvesting strawberries. I mean, like at least a couple of pints every two days. Most of the time they don't last the trip home. We just inhale eat them right there in the garden. Homegrown strawberries don't last long anyway before they start to get mushy after a few hours it seems so it's best to just eat right away. Just doing my part to make sure they don't go to waste (Caleb too).

YS2 snacking in the garden

YS2 snacking at home: The Aftermath

Maybe you know this but there are rules for growing strawberries in their first year. Like snip off the runners and don't harvest, all to encourage root development. Runners were kept under control but the harvesting...well, you see the evidence above. ha ha! Well worth it too!

Our artichokes really took off! We gave some to a neighbor but are going to let some go to seed. We've never grown them before so we're just experimenting a bit.

Some weed-wackin' going on in the background

We discovered a rogue striped beet so washed it up and gave it to YS2. Another snack he enjoyed. I love that he loves most foods we give him to try. I don't normally like raw beets myself unless they're juiced but I sampled our one beet and thought it was kinda tasty!


We've also harvested quite a few potatoes. I don't remember the varieties that were planted but I do know that homegrown potatoes taste über delish! They're great in stews and hold up really well (not all mushy).

Here's a bucket o'taters - please excuse the sour candy wrapper in there. It's not ours (honest!). I just didn't get it to the trash before snapping this pic. Notice the jalapenos in there too. And a couple carrots.

What's up doc?

We got PUMPKINS! Not the orangey jack-o-lantern kind but they are huge (seriously, camera does not do it justice). Last I checked, there were at least four big ones (twss) and a few more smaller ones. I think we'll have full bellies throughout the winter from these alone. I also think we'll be making all kinds of pumpkin things - ideas welcome.


One thing I love about community gardening are the friendly and giving people. Most are willing to share their abundance. Or make you things. One gardener harvested our lavender (it's been harvested 3-4 times now and just keeps blooming!) and made us some salve. She also gave us these:

lemon cucumbers

Again, YS2 loves these cucumbers! I do too. Very refreshing - typical cuke. ;) Julia of Easy Eco to Go recently talked about these on her blog. Cute little things don't ya think? Maybe next year we'll grow our own.

Another thing I love about gardening, or just being outdoors is looking UP. The sky is so beautiful and I love seeing the birds (besides the thousands of crows) soaring above. I get to see eagles and hawks and sometimes cranes (blue heron maybe?) and many other beautiful birdies. But besides the flying critters, the clouds and sun always amaze me.


One thing I will say that I don't like about gardening or summer, my favorite season, for that matter (I can't believe I just wrote that) is ALLERGIES! Holy [bleep] they suck! We narrowed it down to what it is I'm allergic to. Chenopods. Dummy me, I was manhandling them, not knowing what they were, admiring their flowers (hey, look how pretty!) while I was picking strawberries. Yeah, not good.

Lil YS2 is a wonderful garden helper. Okay, maybe not exactly helping but he loves to be there and go exploring, which means a very dirty boy by the time all is said and done!

Look what I found mama!

And can't forget some piggies! These are dirty garden piggies on their way home. Tis a good day when that happens.


Speaking of piggies though. I cannot for the life of me get shoes on this boy! One of his online aunties (hi Lisa! if you're reading this) gave him a pair of red Chuck's when he was born. For the longest time, his feet were too small for shoes but now, he wants nothing to do with them. And when I can sort of get them on he curls his toes. Anyway, "i has a sad" because these shoes no longer fit and he never wore them. Aren't they so Caleb though?


Well, time to put this post to rest, much like our summer garden. But there are those pumpkins and strawberries. A few more left to pick I'm sure. Winter gardening awaits. But for now, ta ta!

A few more gems

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Guest Blog Post

Image
Happy Friday! Thought I'd let someone else take the reins today and share with you an interesting topic. How Raw Diets Can Make a Difference Transitioning to a raw food diet is often thought of as only a personal choice, as a journey that one individually decides to embark on for whatever reason, whether it be ethical or health-related or some other reason entirely. But the Examiner in Sacramento suggests an interesting idea involving raw food diets that could potentially make a difference in the greater community. The social problem that the Examiner discusses is the city's increased problems with homelessness among seniors. The article reports that Sacramento has seen a sharp rise in the elderly being displaced, resulting from what many speculate the aging of the Baby Boomer generation. The article goes on to posit a refreshing new idea that would offer homeless seniors both a source of sustaining and sustainable nutrition and that would also give them something rewarding ...
Read more

WEGO Health: Superpower!

Image
We’ve all daydreamed about having a superpower like superheroes, haven’t we? I mean Superman can fly, reverse time (at least, in the name of love) and is uber strong. Spiderman, well, he uses web power to fly around and catch bad guys. There are other interesting superpowers like invisibility, walking through walls, shape shifting, or reading of the mind. That last one doesn’t interest me much ever since I watched an old episode of the Twilight Zone where the character could suddenly hear everyone’s thoughts and there was no filter so it became overwhelming and noisy in his head. Um, no thanks. At certain times though, I’ve wished for the ability. Could’ve saved a lot of problems, you know? Or be a fly on the wall… * According to this list, there’s insanely rich. I never really thought of that as a superpower per se but it is one I would love to have. That superpower should just be a given. With super wealth I could share it and help so many people, go to so many causes...
Read more

The "Glow"

Image
I know I'm supposed to be working on a different post - about my trip - but wanted to interrupt that to share something else. ******** People into the raw food lifestyle are familiar with the "glow." Maybe you're one who's been told a time or two that you have the glow. It's noticeable to spot a person who obviously is taking care of themselves by what they do and put into their bodies and especially when on the raw food lifestyle. Eating raw foods allows your body to properly process and digest foods plus all the those living enzymes and minerals means less work your body has to do so the result is a beautiful youthful glow. I have received such comments, which are always great to hear but I have been hearing this more so lately. From people who don't know me to people in the raw food world. When I was at our local raw vegan sto re one of the owners we nt on about how I (and hubby too) have transformed since she first met me; that I do have a healthy glow...
Read more