Harvest Monday - 16 October 2023

Our weather here is decidedly autumn-like, though there is no prediction of a frost in the foreseeable future. That can change at a moment's notice, I have learned. So it's a time to evaluate what's left in the gardens, what's needed, and what can be taken out now, to avoid a mad rush if we do get a frost.

So this week, all the tomato plants, pole beans, sweet peppers, and winter squash were harvested and removed. This led to a number of "first harvests" in the squash department. First of all, I have to relate that this year's harvest is maybe 1/5 of last year's, when we got a record 300+ pounds. And the fruit is smaller, too. It's just been that kind of year.

Here's Autumn Frost, a hybrid moschata-type, that is easily our favorite, with its deep flesh color and rich sweetness.

Autumn Frost (F1)

Then there's Sugaretti, a hybrid spaghetti squash that looks like a delicata. These will all eventually turn to the color of the one on the top right, after they've cured for a while.

Sugaretti hybrid spaghetti squash

Last year we got an abundance of the old-timey Neck Pumpkin, another moschata-type. One even topped 17 pounds. This year, only two, and much smaller.

Neck Pumpkin (OP)

And finally another moschata heirloom, Yokohama.

Yokohama (OP)

I actually think this is a good amount of squash for us, though the people we gave it away to last year might be disappointed.

While harvesting the above, I found four more of the cute Baby Boo ornamental pumpkins, that were hiding in the tall grass the vines had spread to.

Baby Boo

There was one additional "first harvest," a small Romanesco broccoli/cauliflower/who-knows-what.

Romanesco

I only managed one "general harvest," but it was pretty big. All the sweet or mildly-spicy peppers on the right were used or frozen. Since the hot peppers are so much smaller, I think there's a great likelihood that more will turn their full colors over the coming weeks. So those plants stayed. I left the eggplants too, although we really don't need much more of it.

Saturday general harvest

There wasn't too much "preserving the harvest" going on this week. Besides freezing the sweet peppers, a good amount went into making and canning 5 pints of "Sunday Funday Bloody Mary Mix", the one canned tomato product we had run out of from the year before. It also included our own tomatoes, onions, carrots, parsley, and garlic. Some hot pepper mash gave it a substantial kick.

Bloody Mary Mix

So I feel pretty good about the work done this week, in terms of clearing out the crops that aren't needed or won't produce anymore. It's much better to get the work done in small, unhurried increments. Thanks for reading, and thanks once again to Dave, our Harvest Monday host at HappyAcres.blog