It's a tangly mess out there right now. Late summer flowers mixed up with the second planting of bush beans and greens, herbs going wild, and the very last of the blueberries being picked and mashed and turned into jam. The onions have all been cured and brought inside (which reminds me I need to trim the garlic and do the same with it!), the winter squash picked, and loads of sad remains of once-happy plants pulled and tossed on the compost or brush piles. Beets and okra and surplus tomatoes and hot peppers from the farm have been pickled and turned into tomato jam. There's a batch of salsa being readied slowly (it's been too hot these last few days to get the canner going), and I keep meaning to look up tasty ideas for preserving asian pears (also from the farm). I'd also like to preserve, somehow, some of my thai basil. Even with the season really winding down, there's a feeling of abundance out there right now, for sure.
Thinking ahead to next summer, when we plan to be away for 6 weeks.......... wondering what shape my garden will take then?
Amanda, your garden and processing of it, make for some most magical photos. This year I only had a very early garden, because of working around having the wedding here and have found that I kind of enjoy not having all that canning to do this year, lol. Maybe, it will just be that you get a little break next year:) However, my flower gardens are so overgrown and wildly beautiful this year. The rains were just right here in Kansas for that.
ReplyDeleteDo I recall correctly that you planted loads of zinnias and sunflowers for your daughter's wedding? I bet that was amazing! It's funny- the garden is far and away the thing that consumes the most of my energy around the house (and almost always in a really good way, that I invite), but there is definitely part of me that is excited to lessen the expectations next year. I want to plant loads of flowers and just let them go, along with a few things like garlic and greens and some winter squashes that can do their own thing until we return~ we'll see!
DeleteGood memory, you have:) I planted sunflowers and zinnias down by reception area in a garden (up on hill where ceremony took place were thousands of flowers in bloom, because it was timed right for larkspur etc.) I put in early vegetable garden, and harvested all of that, but the fall stuff just didn't work out (we were really really wet) and that is when I really, really enjoyed the break from canning:) Thanks to all the extra Kansas rain....I have a jungle out there to clear for fall cleanup.
Deleteoh larkspur. swoon.
DeleteI've been slowly tidying up the bits of the garden that need cleaning out as I have the time here and there. There will be some tangly messes to clean out later for sure, but I suppose there is something satisfying in that final purge and tidying too.
my goodness, your garden is so lovely, especially in a tangly state. as i looked over the pictures, i was thinking about your garden next summer. thinking how fun it would be to do some tending for you! there is something so incredibly beautiful about a late summer garden. i love all of the preserving that you do. we have asian pears from my mother in laws garden and they keep surprisingly well. we are able to eat on them for a month and loose very few.
ReplyDeletethank you! yes that would be fun! we have friends living in an RV who may come stay here for most of the time we are away, but we can likely make it work for you to be here part of the time, too! And either way- it'd be great to see you when we are up your way!!
Deletethe Asian pears are so yummy! these from the farm tend to have lots of little wrinkles and puckery spots where there are hard stony bits inside, so we have to work around that, but other than that they are great. (and free!)