The gardens are empty.

16 years ago

I dug some carrots on Sunday morning ... but couldn't wash them, as the hose lying outside the barn was frozen. Didn't get back home till dark.

Thawed the hose in the yard on Monday and dug the second row of my carrots on Monday afternoon and some of my landlord's, then picked one of the very few cauliflower heads that had appeared and took to his house.

Thawed the hose again today and washed my carrots, then dug the rest of his carrots, about 30 feet of row, and got about three milk crates of carrots, which I'll let dry and take to churches and food bank, with his permission. He'll drain the hose and pump for the winter, probably tomorrow.

There were a few tiny heads of cauliflower that I picked and put in the car, will take them into the basement tomorrow.

I have quite a few squash left in the barn and will take them into the basement tomorrow to keep them from freezing.

The squash were small, and it seems to me that they've been rotting quicker than usual ... was it due to the surplus rain that we had, this summer? Along with rather unusually cool weather.

So - the garden is clear.

I pulled a few soybean plants last week that the combine missed and have cleared the beans from the pods by hand. I've been hoping to pull some more when it's dry, and it was nearly dry enouigh today, but I was busy at other things ... and it's to snow, then rain, then more snow during the next couple of days ... and at this time of year it takes some time for them to dry.

I intend to chew them up in the blender and add them to the mix when I make bread. I brought home a fair sized bucket of flax from brother's farm in the west last year and often add some ground up flax to the bread mix.

I've heard that adding whole-grain flax is rather useless, as the seeds say, "Hi" on the way into the body, remain intact on the way through, resisting the onslaughts of the acids and breakdown compounds on the way through the stomach and intestinal tract ...

... then say, "'Bye", as they're about to take their departure.

That could be an old wives' (husbands'?) tale - who knows?

I hope that you're all ready for the upcoming season.

ole joyful

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Comments (9)

petaloid
16 years ago
You have been working extremely hard in the cold weather. Good for you!

We use ground flax seeds too. If left whole, the body may digest them somewhat, but if they are ground we are sure to get all the fiber and food value.
glenda_al
16 years ago
Now sit back, Ed, and rest up for the spring planting.
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soxxxx
16 years ago
It sounds like you will not have to go hungry anytime soon.

I wish that I could grow carrots. Here mine are stunted and have a resinous (sp.) taste even though I prepare my ground as the books advise. But they are not so high to buy. I like them raw.
joyfulguy
Original Author
16 years ago
One of the grocers has been offering 10 lbs. of potatoes, onions, carrots or beets for about $1.88 for a couple of weeks.

Last Friday, when I was doing several washes, I'd been digging carrots, when the left hand had been doing most of the removing of tops and cleanng dirt off. Though it was not really cold, there was a substantial wind coming in from the west and the right hand was pretty cold. Shortly after, when I tried to hang clothes on the line, the right hand (where index finger does little, due to arthritis), the thumb and middle finger just couldn't squeeze the spring pins to pin the clothes, so had to use the left, which had kept warmer while working on the carrots.

Next is to retread some of the split, partly-eaten-by-bugs, tiny, etc. carrots and freeze the good parts ... and to cut out spoiled parts of squash and freeze the good parts of the ones that are going bad.

Then ... I have some patching to do on the pants, overalls and coveralls that I use in the gardens: not sure whether the knees are worn mainly from work in the garden or praying ... more the former, I think, as I figure that I can pray while walking in the woods, riding in the car (figure that sometimes it's especially appropriate/needed at such times), or in other places.

Socks to darn, too.

I'm pleased that my body seldom tells me, "Listen, you darned old fool - I can't do that for you any more!". A benefit for which I am hugely thankful.

Hope you all have a good week, what's left of it.

ole joyful
marlingardener
16 years ago
Ole Joyful,
Gardens are never empty--even in winter they are full of hope, plans, and anticipation.
Next year's garden is always going to be the best!
chisue
16 years ago
You're sure no 'lily of the field', Ed!

Hey, could you *splurge* on some NEW socks, undies, overalls? We think you are very deserving of these small things.
patti43
16 years ago
Oh, just thinking of those fresh carrots all winter warms my heart. Carrots with a roast, carrot soup, or just plain old cooked carrots. Nothing better than home-grown.

Now try to stay inside and warm, okay?
joyfulguy
Original Author
16 years ago
Did you hear how the gardener proposed?

"If you carr-ot all for me, lett-uce beet it off and be married".

I tought that's turn up some day!

o j
cynic
16 years ago
Ewww, Joyful.... and just what ELSE have you been growing in that garden???

You've been enjoying much warmer weather than we have around here. Things are freezing up in my garage. Outside it doesn't stand a chance.

The gardens are empty.

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The gardens are empty.

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petaloid

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