Garden Notes: November 2024

Today is American Thanksgiving. In thinking and reflecting about what I'm thankful for, I have to say that our garden is a big one on my list. There are many reasons for this: food quality and freshness, less to buy at the grocery store, an opportunity to be outdoors and pursue an activity I enjoy, a sense of purpose, and the seasonal routine gardening offers. I've learned some important lessons too, a huge one being that I don't control as much as I think I control. And that has helped teach me to be adaptable; to carry on and do the best I can in spite of my circumstances; to not fret when I'm not getting what I planned to get. Life lessons. Important lessons for mundane living. 

Rainfall

• 4th: 0.08"
• 5th: 0.12"
• 6th: 0.14"
• 7th: 0.02"
• 10th: 0.18"
• 14th: 1.23"
• 1th: 0.12"
• 20th: 0.18" 
• 26th: 0.06"
• 28th: 0.31"
  
• Total: 2.44 inches

 Temperature

• range of nighttime lows: 23 to 64°F (-5 to 18°C)
• range of daytime highs: to 50 to 82°F (10 to 28°C)

Weather notes

• We've been losing the garden slowly, through a series of scattered frosts. But freezing temps are said to be pushing in the next day or so, so that will be the end of the summer garden. 

Greenhouse

• Now that the masonry heater is done, we want to finish up the greenhouse. There isn't a lot left to do, mostly the interior. 

Planted

• multiplier onions

Transplanted (into pots for the greenhouse)

• chickweed

Harvested

• okra
• green tomatoes
• cherry tomatoes
• greens: lettuce, kale, mustard, chickweed, daikon & chicory leaves
• oregano
• winter squash
• turnips
• basil
• green peppers
• red raspberries
• potatoes 
• daikon
  

Preserved

• "pumpkin powder," which is dehydrated winter squash puree (leftover from making our Thanksgiving pie) powdered in my power blender.

Photos

1st carrot, a purple cosmos. Lettuce and more carrots in the background.

Purple cosmos carrots have purple skin and orange insides

First turnips

Sweet potato squash in the back and first daikon. This one went into kimchi.

The last harvest bucket of summer produce

Lots of baby sweet potato squash, which are good in salads. The potatoes were a surprise, from some I missed in my summer harvest. The plants were really healthy, making me think I should experiment with summer potatoes next year.

Fall greens with the last of the pre-frost cherry tomatoes.

The salad dressing was an experiment made from chickpeas. Quite good!

 

And lastly . . .

 

Thanksgiving dessert, a winter squash pie

How is everyone else faring this time of year?

Garden Notes: November 2024 © Nov. 2024

by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com