Last Harvest

This is the last thing I harvested before the chaos of our first winter storm.  This broccoli seemed to keep giving and giving for  the entire season.  Each harvest included nice full heads not just the little off shoots you get after the main harvest.  It was truly amazing.  I would have to say the broccoli was the garden star this summer.  I have never done so well in this category.  We had 10 plants.  That seemed to be plenty for fresh eating and preserving.  I believe this was Calabrese from Lake Valley seed.  I will have to plant it again to find out if it was the seed or just the weather that made for such a wonderful harvest.

Slow Progress

As you can see, the deck is well on its way.  It goes frustratingly slow.  I think its because I dedicate 40 hours a week to something besides deck building.  I am learning a lot and might be able to help someone else someday... but for now, I am a long way from a garden party and I am certain we will not be celebrating a harvest festival on this deck by the end of the year.  Did you make some lofty goals this year that might need to carry over into the next?  Let me know.  I need to feel like I am not the only one!

Spring Snow

We have officially had our first spring snow.  It was tragic.  The entire tree canopy of Greeley looks like a tornado swept through it.  Branches are on cars.  The streets are piled with branches.  Trees are in living rooms and we have lost some of our oldest and record holding trees.  

Fall has been very warm and pleasant.  A warm weather lovers haven.  Unfortunately the trees were enjoying it too and not dropping their leaves.  18 inches of heavy, wet snow landed on our town last week.  It clung to the tree leaves and branches dragging them to the ground.  Even the healthy and trimmed were no match for the weight on the snow.

I am sad to say that my favorite "bird" tree is no more.  The top is broken from my plum and many branches were drug to the curb.  The city will be coming by to scoop them up and haul them away for grinding into mulch.  It really is a sad state of affairs but one that could not entirely be helped.

Your only recourse in these situations is to physically shake and knock the snow from the trees hoping that you have done enough to prevent the damage.  The damage from this storm will probably not be fully realized until spring and summer of next year.  If you have lost trees, you still have some time to get something new in the ground yet this fall or you can spend the winter thinking about what you want to plant in the spring.  Do you your research, make wise choices, and don't let this discourage you too much.  

All Tucked In

I know it seems a little ridiculous but I have been tucking those tomato plants in at night.  Using nothing but my finest vintage sheets to keep them warm and snugly while trying to postpone the inevitable.  I am not ready to say goodbye.  Not ready for cold nights.  Not ready for the sun to make shorter and shorter visits. And I am definitely not ready to give up that fresh from the garden taste.  The changing colors bring moisture to my eye and the smell of fall has made me weep uncontrollably more than once.  The hope of a new spring seems painfully far away.

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Take one food dehydrator that has been sitting unused for........  Slice tomatoes thickly and drizzle with olive oil and your favorite dried herbs.  I also added some kosher salt.  It took about 6 hours to dry to a slightly rubbery texture.  I chose to keep mine in the freezer for a longer shelf life of 6-8 months.  Let me tell you, this made short work of a lot of tomatoes!

Bounty

This is a nearly 3/4 full paper box of concord grapes!  Can you say jelly?  I am always overwhelmed this time of year with the bounty that is coming out of the garden.  If my only job where to tend the home, I might me able to handle it all.  The truth is, the home is usually last on the list of things to do in a day.  As a result, I am going to do with these beauties what I did with them last year.  I will clean them all from their vines and freeze them in zippered bags until I actually have the time and inclination to make them into jelly.  There is really no need to stress about it now when the tomatoes need me most!  This box full gave me about 18lbs of grapes.  I have three vines that are about four years old.  I am thinking that a) I probably only need one vine and b) I will soon be begging friends to help share in the bounty!