Thankfully, we haven’t had a freeze yet. So, we’re able to let a lot of crops finish that wouldn’t have made it if it had frozen. Our friends, Sherri and Dara were here on Tuesday, and they picked a whole lot of various dry beans. They said that’s about it, but for a few in the Sand Garden. Will picked all of the Bear Island Chippewa flour corn in the Central Garden. It was the poorest crop that we’ve ever had but it was in the garden that got the worst hit from the torrential rain this spring. I’m just grateful to be able to have any. None of the beans down there even grew!
Yesterday I sat on the front porch and tied up all of the Damaun super sweet corn and the Simonet sweet corn. We were thrilled to have such nice big cobs, especially with no rain and a huge weed problem in all the gardens. It took all day, but I got them all done. Now I’m waiting for the Who Gets Kissed sweet corn and the popcorns to finish up. I think I can even “steal” some of the second cobs on the Who Gets Kissed to can up. I only got 12 half-pints, and 6 pints of sweet corn canned up so far and would sure like to do a bunch more. We love our canned sweet corn in so many recipes!
We trialed several new-to-us beans this year. Some came from William Woys Weaver and others from an Amish woman. Most were very nice, and we’ll be adding them to our roster after I get enough to sell. Two special ones were Brita’s Footlong and Rouge de Paris. Brita’s Footlong pole beans can be used as a snap bean then also as a dry bean. Yes, the pods are nearly a foot long! Rouge de Paris is a nice fat bush bean that produces super well, even without a drop of watering and nearly no rain! It’s so much fun to “discover” new crops that are wonderful, no matter how long you’ve been gardening.
— Jackie
Those are beautiful pole beans! Do they have strings? I’m just getting back into pole beans after having switched to just bush beans due to space limitations. Good to hear that Rouge seems drought tolerant. Always a plus around here.
After the hurricane it looks like a war zone here. Trees blown over everywhere. No power, cell phones (antennas were blown off the towers), land lines or local tv stations. Thank goodness for the generator and both satellite tv and internet! Ten days ago we planted the second half of all the fall brassicas and although they’re wind-whipped, I think they’ll make it! The peppers need restaking but they’re ok too. The cow peas have been in standing water and although that’s receded, they’ll probably fungus up just as they’ve started producing.
But we’ll be ok. As we used to say on the softball team, “You win some, you lose some, but you dress out for all of them!
Glad to hear you made it through the hurricane! That was a bad one for sure. We pray for all folks affected and hope they can recover.
Most of our pole beans will not have strings when they are young, but many do develop strings as they get older. We’re still in drought, as we have been most of the summer. Fortunately, most of our beans did well despite little or no watering.
what a beautiful crop of corn! so happy some made it through the spring rain deluge. i Have to try the Footlong’s! still processing tomatoes and a few last small melons, which really surprised me this year. such Good flavors .
hope al goes well with you and yours. Really enjoy your story of living the dream, photos are a Plus!
Thanks Mary. We love sharing our life with others. Our corn crop varied from a total bust to wonderful, depending on where it was planted and when. That terrible rain spell, followed by drought really knocked us in the head!! But we’re so grateful for what we’ve gotten, despite the crazy weather.
Garden is officially done. Tomato plants pulled, hardly any left which made it much easier. Planted garlic today, next year’s garden is underway. We still need a bit more rain (or watering) before I hit the perennial beds for fall weeding. Hoped to do it today but other priorities as well as the dry soil.
Starting the switchover in my shed – meaning making room for a couple of galvanized garbage cans (corn) and oats (bag or two – the deer like them in the winter).
Weeding? What’s that?? Haha. We’ve got so many weeds due to the heavy rain not allowing tilling or even walking the gardens, then the drought, bringing heat to make ’em grow. Wow!!
We’re still busily harvesting a few last tomatoes, beans, melons, corn and squash. It’ll be a while before we’re done.
Your life sounds wonderful, Jackie. How are your knees? Regards from far north California where it’s in the 100sF, still.
Our life is generally wonderful. But we, like everyone, have our down days or overwhelmed ones. Due to all the walking at harvest time, my knees are pretty sore. They were getting much better before I over-worked them. Hopefully, after the rush is over, they’ll again settle down. We had 85 degrees F yesterday. Weird for fall in northern Minnesota!
Those beans look amazing! They are so pretty and I bet they will taste just as good. I like pole beans as they are so much easier to pick, and they take up less space in the garden. My garden is pretty well done for this season. That is always bittersweet. I like having the fresh produce, but by this time of year I am tired of weeding, lol. It looks like you will be busy canning for a while. That is such a satisfying job. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Thank you so much! We’re still in full swing with everything. I’m canning tomatoes every day now, trying to save all the ones crates we picked earlier. I hate waste!!
We quit weeding in August. They beat us this year. Phooey on them!!
Hey Jackie,
Your crops sure look great, and I live to see your pictures. We have a bean here that I can and also dehydrate. They are called Christmas beans and are purple speckled like the ones in your picture. I don’t know where they came from; but when cooked, they taste like a great flavorful butter bean. I will try to find out more about them. I always heard about them from my Dad, who said they were delicious. But I never saw them until I moved close to our Amish folk in Ethridge, TN. So, I buy these beans from them. They grow a lot of heirloom stuff, and these might be; but I don’t know. They sure are good. Hope yours taste as good as mine!
Keep on storing away like the little red hen. I’ve got a feeling we will need more this winter as prices on everything is sky high.
We also grow Christmas butter/lima beans and love them. They’re so beautiful. The variety is sold by a number seed sellers.
I think your Christmas beans are Christmas limas. Unfortunately, I can’t grow any limas here, as we just don’t have a long enough season for them. But we sure do have lots of other beans!! Great crop on most all of them this year, despite the weather.
You bet we’re storing up! I just have an uneasy feeling these days about things. Been hungry in my life and didn’t like it a bit!!
Hi Jackie- beautiful produce and I’m in awe of the work you and Will and your wonderful helpers do! Today was definitely a fall day here. Pouring rain and chilly. It’s been very warm til now but it looks like the summer weather is over. My small garden is ready for winter almost. I have a young friend who helps me luckily because I’m on my own as a senior with health issues so I’m so grateful for the support. I’m happy the season is over but I know if God’s willing and the creek don’t rise that I’ll be at it again next spring! I love it and am SO grateful for the bounty both fresh and preserved. I hope I can continue for as long as am able!
Amen!!
I hear you Robyn!! I’m canning tomatoes every day now, trying to save all I can. Last night, David’s mother-in-law and our granddaughter, Delilah, came and picked two more big crates of tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce from. We’re still in full swing, harvesting during hot, dry weather. Whew!!
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