As recently as a couple of days ago, we were getting a prediction of a frost on this coming Thursday night. They've since back-peddled on that, but who really knows? I'm taking steps in case it happens.
We got a "first harvest," minuscule as it is, but it brings us joy: saffron. It is such a strange plant...growing in spring, dying back so completely that you think it really is dead, and then springing up with flowers in deep autumn.
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| Saffron crocus |
At the start of this past week, I did a harvest just of things we needed: chard (silverbeet), celery, carrots, napa cabbage, green onions.
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| Tuesday general harvest |
On Friday I had such a heavy harvest that I had to support the basket from underneath. This was in response to the frost prediction. I need three photos to show it all.
I took all the remaining (small) eggplants, and tomatoes that had a chance of ripening indoors.
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| Friday harvest #1 |
I took all the ripe (or nearly) sweet peppers. These were chopped and frozen.
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| Friday harvest #2 |
And I took all the hot peppers. These are Anaheims, cayennes, and jalapenos. We are desperately thinking of ways to use them all. There will be a lot of Hispanic-themed meals in the coming days.
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| Friday harvest #3 |
It was a terrific year for peppers here, even though I planted no more than two plants of each type.
I also cut two more Penn. Dutch Crookneck Squash/neck pumpkins. The one on the right is our largest yet, at 19.6 pounds (~8.9 kg).
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| "I know what you're thinking..." |
The Kitchen Goddess took two of the cabbages and started fermenting a batch of 'kraut.
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| Sauerkraut |
I made "Creamy Jalapeno Sauce," (non-dairy, with emulsified avocado oil to give it its creaminess). The jalapenos are definitely hotter this late in the season, so this has some kick to it. But it's really good, and sticks to the tortilla chip!
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| Creamy jalapeno sauce |
My goal this week is to take all the remaining green sweet peppers, and cut all the winter squash. The latter would probably be okay in a light frost, but the vines have run all over the spot I want to plant garlic in.
There was a lovely light at sunrise Sunday morning, just prior to rain. The picture does not do it justice.
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| Lovely autumn morning |
That's all for this week. Thanks for reading, and thanks once again to Dave at
HappyAcres.blog for hosting Harvest Monday.
I admire your sweet peppers - that's more than I got all year here! And your creamy hot sauce sounds interesting. We have frost forecast here this week, so I will be bringing in all the peppers I can.
ReplyDeleteYup, frost here is looking more likely. There's work to do.
DeleteSeems everyone has loads of peppers but me. Ah well, always next year. What do the neck pumpkins taste like? more like pumpkin or more like squash?. And I wasn't thinking it until I read the caption ;-)
ReplyDeleteThink of them as grotesquely large butternut squash.
DeleteQuite the harvests. I remember doing that when frost threatened. Thanks for your posts.
ReplyDeleteOops. The above comment was me.
ReplyDelete