Harvesting...

Seems funny to use that word in regards to a tiny home garden but harvesting is what we did this week.  We had below freezing temperatures and so decided to cover the square foot garden and harvest the tomatoes from the in ground garden. 

We had many green tomatoes to pick.  The boys were a bit confused as to why we were picking green tomatoes after so many months of hearing, "Don't touch the green tomatoes!"  I told them the earth was about to go to sleep and we had to pick them before they froze and were lost. They were both so excited and Michael loved using the word "harvest".  After reading the Little House series he has a firm grasp of what that means.  He said we are going to have "plenty of food for the winter".

Well, we have plenty of tomatoes!  I confess, even after seeing my Mom can tomatoes and sauce every year as a child, I still have never done it myself and I'm a little scared to try.  These will be frozen and hopefully next year I will buy the needed canning supplies and learn how.  Mom, I need you next November!

 

We covered the square foot garden hoping the tomatoes there would survive.  After 2 freezes though we opened it up to see all limp plants.  We did save many of the tomatoes though. We have some lettuce & beets inside but I don't see them surviving as my brain seems closed off from gardening now.  I often forget to check in with them.  My Fall garden did not go so well.  I had planted turnips, carrots & spinach in the wine barrel.  The spinach was nibbled on by the boys! (That was a success!) They both discovered they love spinach now, though Michael says only the spinach from our garden. lol.  The turnips & carrots were all very small. I think maybe they didn't get enough sun.  We planted rainbow carrots and they were so sweet, we'll have to try again in the spring. 

Both the boys loved helping me pull it all out and make it tidy.  We've really loved getting the full, year round experience of the garden. Can't wait to expand and try it all over again next year.

Until next time...