Harvest Gems

We thought we were going to have company yesterday.  Turned out they had a ways yet to drive, so outside projects got the nod----mainly potatoes.

While Bill was chopping wood at the shed down the lane, I started digging potatoes---some with my gloved hands in the soft manure-pile soil and others with the pitch fork.  

My potatoes were planted in three different areas on the place this year, so harvesting them took up a good part of the day. 

We don't have a big amount, but what we have are quality spuds.

I think I'll find even more when I pull up the row of giant marigolds that might just have been planted earlier this summer on some taters that had not yet come up.  

Whatever the case, we know for sure that the taters this year are winners cuz last night's meal centered around baked potatoes with margarine, cheddar cheese and sour cream. The flavor was delightful. 

There's one particular spud in that photo above that could feed a family of four.  The manure pile garden does that to spuds, thanks to its rich soil. 

We're enjoying a banner year of fruit from our main apple tree, and it's gonna take me a while to get them all picked.  

Even with deer helping themselves every night, we'll have more than enough to feed our horses, along with our applesauce and jelly needs. 

The acorn squash will probably sit in the garage until winter when I decide to slow bake them in a pan of water and then douse them with butter, brown sugar and honey.  Mighty tasty. 

Still lots of stuff to bring in from the gardens, especially carrots and later, the sweet potatoes.  They still aren't very big, but I'm figuring if I let them go a while longer, there may be enough for a holiday dish. 

Two planter boxes full of carrots still need to be pulled.  I'm hoping to figure a good way to store them because I've never had much luck just leaving them in the ground.  People say they're supposed to be good, but all I've ever gotten by leaving them is a bunch of orange mush. 

If nothing else, horses will have some treats.

Calculating the cost of this year's garden could make me cringe, especially figuring in the $600 fence Bill constructed. 

I decided long ago, though, that gardening should not be measured in dollars and cents.  

Instead, the daily satisfaction that comes with nurturing plants and watching them grow, along with the later "yum yums" that thrill the palate, like our dinner last night, should be sole criteria for the need to play in the soil and plant things.

Anywho, it's nice to be at this stage of gathering and putting the gardens to bed for the winter.  I've enjoyed every minute of watering and weeding and admiring; now, it's time to move on to the fall (endless cleaning up of leaves) and winter activities like basketball games. 

Soon, I'll be heading into Spokane for my ZAGS posters and then will come plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Before that, however, I'm hoping to ride my horses at least once or twice before their shoes come off.

Speaking of horses, Lily is moving toward six months of her 11-month pregnancy.  The vet needs to come soon to give her the first of a series of flu shots.  She's starting to develop a paunch, so I'm pretty sure there is something in there.  According to the scientific information, that something should be the size of a Beagle in a couple of weeks. 

We still need to finish her large box stall.  That got put on hold for a couple of weeks, but once we get started at it again, it won't take long. 

Of course, another fall distraction this year is the Presidential election.  I personally thought the vice presidential debate last night was pretty much a waste of time, but the usual petty "talking points," which we've heard ad nauseum kept the media air waves going.  

Hard to get excited about the candidates in the wings.  At least, the Presidential debates can be entertaining----albeit a pretty warped sense this year.

Well, enough drivel for this Wednesday morning, so I'll just wish everyone a great day and go pick some more apples.