Took the garden down over the weekend

[FISH4BUGS]

Well here in NH we have had two killing frosts, and the garden is now officially out of commission. Over the weekend I harvested the last of the beets and carrots and got them into the freezer. Then down comes the chicken wire fencing (the deer would eat us out of house and home if I didn't) the posts and the tomato cages and into the barn it all goes ready for next year.
This year was a gangbuster year for the garden. We have a 6 foot upright and a 20 cubic foot chest freezer FULL of meats and vegetables for the coming year. The chicken, bacon burger and sausage are organic and raised and processed a mile from here. The veggies are organic and grown right in our back yard. I am beginning to think we might be borderline preppers. But there is a great satisfaction in having all that food available when we want it.
Tomato guts, green beans, carrots, beets, squash, brocolli, brussel sprouts and various herbs await consumption.
As I was preparing the beets for the freezer, I couldn't help but think about how this is similar to reloading. Harvest (pick up the brass), wash the beets (tumble), peel the beets (brass prep) dice them (reload) and vacuum seal and into the freezer (put loaded rounds into the ammo boxes and into the closet).
Maybe that's why it is not such a big task....and enjoyable to boot!

[Hickory]

152352My garden didn't do to well this year.

[petroid]

My dad swears by leaving carrots in the ground until a good hard freeze. Says it makes them tender and easier to dig up

[dragon813gt]

I took mine down a good month ago. Planted winter rye and it's already established. Now if I could just keep the dog out of the garden the rye would grow everywhere it was planted.

[RayinNH]

Ours did terrible. I think it comes down to the fact we just don't have the time to devote to the thing. If only weeds were edible.

Hickory, sorry for your troubles. On the bright side, the irrigation system you built works great :smile:.

[Taylor]

152352My garden didn't do to well this year.


Rice?

[FISH4BUGS]

Ours did terrible. I think it comes down to the fact we just don't have the time to devote to the thing. If only weeds were edible.

You know, that was one of the greatest discoveries I have made in years....how to make your garden nice and productive......
Just get out there and work your butt off in the garden! Bug patrol, weeding, cultivating, picking off dead leaves, talking to your plants, more cultivating, more weeding, etc.
No big secret.....just lots of effort! But we will certainly appreciate it in January........

[Duckiller]

Carrots should be left in the ground. Hill dirt around the row and mark both ends with a lath or other wood stake. Dig carrots all winter long. These are in addition to the summer and fall carrots you have been harvesting. Parents did that for years. 45* north in Michigan. Once you have some snow cover your ground shouldn't freeze that deep.

[dragonrider]

Garden has been done for a least a month now. The last things in were some peppers, they came in late this year for some reason. Next year I will fence it in, a woodchuck has destroyed my carrots and green beans. The only talking to my plants get is when I am cussin at them for all the work they cause me. :evil:

[SSGOldfart]

Rice?
Or mudbugs and catfish lol we got our share of rain over the weekend??? All most a years worth in a few hours

[waksupi]

I planted my garlic a couple weeks ago. Fall lettuce and Swiss chard around the end of August. Both are doing well. Last year I was getting lettuce, chard, and spinach until the week before Christmas. If I would have covered them they may have gone all winter. The spinach DID winter over, and was the first green thing in the spring that recovered.

[petroid]

SSGOldfart your inbox is full. Need to PM you

[MaryB]

2-3 more loads of corn to haul and get into the bin for my winter heat. Then I am going through the garden and picking the last of the kale, mustard spinach(komatsuma,anyone know if this will freeze okay or turn to mush?), my brussels sprouts didn't produce but the leaves sure are tasty so going to pick and freeze some for stir fries, and there is a little bit of spinach left.

[Col4570]

Just put in overwintering Onions and Garlic,piled dirt around the Beet rows.Tomatoes are finished now had a good crop this year,Hot Peppers still doing well in the Greenhouse.Turned over the compost,put Geraniums in the Greenhouse in big Pots.I still have to cut down the Fuschias and cover them with compost,the same with the Dahlias (most folks round her fetch them in but for the last 3 years I have left them in the ground and covered them)they do well where they are but it is always fingers crossed to how severe the winter will be.The last two mornings it has been foggy,went down to Melton Mowbray for some Clay Shooting on Sunday with my eldest Grandson (30),I drove from heavy fog into brilliant sunshine by midday the temp was 71f,Monday it was foggy all day, today (Tuesday) it is as clear as a Bell.Nice time of the year autumn.Will do more Garden clearing today,Waiting for a Muzzleloading Rifle Barrel to come back from the Proofhouse it should be here later.

[waksupi]

I did move my pepper plants inside, too. They will last 5-6 years usually. If you want peppers through the winter, you have to hand pollinate. I use a Q-tip.

[kens]

Tomatoes are doing great!!! I planted tomatoes around labor day. They don't seem to like the heat of spring and summer.

[farmerjim]

"If you want peppers through the winter, you have to hand pollinate. I use a Q-tip."
Be sure to make a buzzing sound like a bee when doing this. It excites the flowers more and puts them in the mood.

[bangerjim]

Well here in NH we have had two killing frosts, and the garden is now officially out of commission. Over the weekend I harvested the last of the beets and carrots and got them into the freezer. Then down comes the chicken wire fencing (the deer would eat us out of house and home if I didn't) the posts and the tomato cages and into the barn it all goes ready for next year.
This year was a gangbuster year for the garden. We have a 6 foot upright and a 20 cubic foot chest freezer FULL of meats and vegetables for the coming year. The chicken, bacon burger and sausage are organic and raised and processed a mile from here. The veggies are organic and grown right in our back yard. I am beginning to think we might be borderline preppers. But there is a great satisfaction in having all that food available when we want it.
Tomato guts, green beans, carrots, beets, squash, brocolli, brussel sprouts and various herbs await consumption.
As I was preparing the beets for the freezer, I couldn't help but think about how this is similar to reloading. Harvest (pick up the brass), wash the beets (tumble), peel the beets (brass prep) dice them (reload) and vacuum seal and into the freezer (put loaded rounds into the ammo boxes and into the closet).
Maybe that's why it is not such a big task....and enjoyable to boot!

If you are planning on becoming a real "prepper" you need to can or freeze dry all that stuff! Your freezers will not last long when the power goes off and gasoline for a BIG generator will be very difficult to find in tough times with no power. We have all canned stuff in our "prepper" stores.

"Just "food" for thought! [smilie=s:

[FISH4BUGS]

If you are planning on becoming a real "prepper" you need to can or freeze dry all that stuff! Your freezers will not last long when the power goes off and gasoline for a BIG generator will be very difficult to find in tough times with no power. We have all canned stuff in our "prepper" stores.
"Just "food" for thought! [smilie=s:
I agree. We had an ice storm here in NH in 2009 that took out the grid. No power for 11 days. However, the generator is wired to do the furnace (for hot water), the freezers, the sump pumps, the well pump, and the kitchen and a few other lights. Propane to cook with. We only ran it for about 2 hours or so twice a day just to get the freezers back up to snuff, heat up water to take some showers, and then shut it down for at least 12 hours. The wood stove kept us toasty.
We had 50 gallons of backup fuel. We hardly used much at all. It was a very good test, believe me. If that 50 gallons ran out I think we ALL would have been screwed.

[MaryB]

Or have solar and battery that run the fridge(converted chest freezer, uses 450watt hours per day) and freezer! Half of my solar. 8 panels are currently in storage and will go on the new garage roof!

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/Solar-panels-complete.jpg


If you are planning on becoming a real "prepper" you need to can or freeze dry all that stuff! Your freezers will not last long when the power goes off and gasoline for a BIG generator will be very difficult to find in tough times with no power. We have all canned stuff in our "prepper" stores.

"Just "food" for thought! [smilie=s:

[FISH4BUGS]

That is our next thing - solar. Not sure whether we will do it for electricity or hot water. Or both. We will get educated first then make some decisions.
The front porch faces south and is the perfect place for solar panels.
Kind of excited about that.........

[MaryB]

My south facing porch wall has a solar hot air panel on it. Soon as it cools down more I will uncover it for the winter. Not a ton of heat but it raises the house temp 2 degrees when it is sunny. www.builditsolar.com has lots of ideas!