Our life living off the land in our log cabin, breathing fresh mountain air, and getting back to basics.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Last Harvest Basket

This is it...the very last harvest basket from this years garden...
...a few more beans, 1 squash bloom and 2 dozen carrots with greens.

But it's not the end of the garden...we harvested all the remaining green been vines (frost and maybe even snow flurries where we are) to hang them in the basement and allow the remaining beans to mature so we can use the seeds next year.
We've never done this before, but what we've learned is if you pull up by the roots and hang them upside down, the beans will continue to get nutrients for a while...
...we have to wait to harvest the pods until they are brown and we can hear the beans shake inside.  You may be wondering why we didn't harvest those 2 green beans to eat now...because the vines are now "old" the beans are a little tough and not as sweet as they used to be...and because we had such a great harvest with these varieties this year, we want to be sure we can grow them again next year.  It's possible some of the green beans will not mature to the point that the seeds mature, but we're OK with taking the chance.  We've also left a few small bean plants that have no beans in the ground so we can see what frost and freezing temperatures will do to them. 

In fact, there are still a few blooms left on a few plants to enjoy...when I think about these little blooms turning into delicious beans I'm filled with awe at the wonders of nature...amazingly beautiful and perfect!

I have to admit, it was a hard walk back to the cabin from the garden today...Johny and I hugged as we congratulated ourselves on our awesome garden this year and all the great preserved produce we will continue to enjoy throughout the winter...the fun we will have planting next year's garden with the seeds we have and will be saving...the work still to be done in cleaning up the stubborn weeds and preparing the garden for winter's rest...and still I gulped as a few tears formed (it felt a little like saying goodbye to something I've given my heart and soul to for a while)...I can say woo hoo for no more weeding for a while (ha ha, maybe that's one of the reasons I enjoy winter so much!).

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

4 comments:

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

A family that gardens together, stays together.

Your garden did well and made for some awesome blog pictures!

We too look forward to bigger better next year my friend!

Dad/Pepere said...

The end of the 2013 vegetable garden and the beginning of the 2014 garden...Mother Nature is so good to us! Hugs!

Dad/Pepere said...

Could not help sending one more comment on today's blog:

"You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth".

- Psalm 65:9-10

Hugs again!

Lise said...

I agree Patti, and we've learned so much, the next garden has to be great! Provided mother nature cooperates:)

What a lovey quote dad, thanks for sharing. Hugs back!