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As they've sown, so now they're reaping the harvest The month of September is the time all gardeners have toiled for. The garden is in full production of vegetables. The branches of the fruit trees are bowed down heavy with their loads. I've enjoyed many an adult beverage sitting under the peach tree, admiring its beautiful load of fruit. The fermented pickles turned out delicious. Shirley and I made both red and gold hot sauce from red and gold tomatoes and hot peppers. What lovely colors. These are not for the faint of heart or Danes. The prune tree broke several branches from its tremendous load. This is the time to make your fruit butters. You can use apples, prunes, plums, cherries, pears, and peaches. Visitors are constantly amazed at the amount of food produced from our garden. When we show them our canned foods, they comment that few people do it anymore. I find it disturbing when people rely on cleverly marketed food and rely on a Power Bar instead of an apple or carrot. People are starting to realize that food from your garden may have health-giving qualities. Garlic has certain benefits. Broccoli and cabbage may prevent many illnesses. If you try to serve your family organic foods, the best organic food is out of your own garden. It may not look as fancy as store-bought, but you know how it was grown. The purpose of these gardening articles is to inform and motivate you into taking out some of your grass and start a vegetable garden. Getting started is the hardest part. I have assisted many Valley people to get started and all are pleased with the results. The saddest things in life are the things we could have done but didn't This is the time of year to start your fall garden. Take out your summer crops that have stopped producing. Fertilize and prep the soil to receive seeds and plants. Fall vegetables produce longer without the bitter taste. Carrots are sweeter after the first frost. Plant the winter varieties of foods your family likes to eat. If they won't eat brussel sprouts, don't plant brussel sprouts. A partial list to grow: cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower can be grown from plants available at your local nursery. You can grow carrots, beans, kohlrabi,
kale, onions, radishes, beets, turnips, swiss chard and leaf lettuce all
from seed. This is also the time of year to make notes on what to do
next year. What varieties did well and which ones you will never plant
again. [Ed's Home] |