A couple of nights ago, we finally got a fairly light frost. It was spotty for us; some gardens got hammered, others not at all and still others, some plants were affected, and others were not. So all in all, we’re happy as there wasn’t too much damage. But I see the weather’s about to change for the worst and temps will dive into the 20’s F. So, yep, we’re harvesting like mad!

Will shelled out some more Crawford pole beans that Bill had brought for us to seed out. They are the best and most unusual bean ever!

Yesterday, though, we took a little break as sons, Bill and David and their families came for both a visit and to put our propane fridge, which had died, back into the kitchen. It’s a big, double-door outfit and, luckily, Bill is a certified RV propane technician, so he not only fixed it but hauled it back home. Talk about service and a wonderfully thoughtful son!

Bill fixed our propane fridge and he and David brought it into the kitchen to hook it back up.

We had a great visit and got to play with Delilah, who is learning all sorts of tricks like bouncing on someone’s knee and going “Ah…ah…ah” in time to the bounces, picking up things with her feet. (She even holds her bottle with her feet sometimes.) And boy, what smiles! Not a crabby girl at all, despite having new, shark-like teeth. Grandson, Mason, is now taller than Mom and catching up to Dad pretty fast. He’ll be heading to the woods with Bill this weekend as it’s youth deer season and he hopes to shoot another nice deer for Dad to can up and make jerky out of. Ava got to feed treats to her pony and pet her, but she couldn’t find her halter so couldn’t take a ride on the lead line. Oh well, when my knee feels better I’ll go take a look in the pasture to see if I can find it. Whinny sure loves to be free of head gear!

Delilah is sitting on Mason’s 100 pound plus Big Max pumpkin he chose out of our pumpkin patch.
Ava and Mason had fun shopping through our big pumpkin patch for just the perfect pumpkins. They each found a nice big, Big Max plus others they couldn’t pass up.

Today we’re picking beans, squash, pumpkins, and tomatoes. I’m madly seeding out more tomatoes as the season is rapidly coming to an end. I figure on picking crates full on Wednesday as after that, I think the remaining ones will freeze and be no good. But we are tremendously grateful to have had this long Indian summer with unusual warm temperatures for the time of the year. I mean days have been in the mid-sixties! Last year, we had snow on the ground that didn’t melt until spring. — Jackie

32 COMMENTS

  1. Love to read your blog. I tried the Crawford beans this year and they are fantastic! Best bean I have ever grown. They are great in all stages.

  2. Still no frost/freeze in my area – looking at the forecast, it is going to be the latest date in my lifetime (lived in this area my entire life). Climate change is real. While not ideal for my area, I’m glad I live where I do. While start/end dates for growing season have changed, we still have a growing season. And ample water table if one needs to water his/her garden.

    • Glad you haven’t had frost or freezing yet. We just got a hard freeze but it’s really, really late here too. I’m so happy to be living where we are and so very grateful for all we have!

  3. I wanna grow a 100 lb pumpkin too! I will look for those seeds on your website and try to grow some of yours. Inspirational family and harvest… thanks for sharing it with us!

    • I’m sure you can. I start my seeds inside four weeks before the last projected spring frost date (or a little earlier), then just set them out and mulch well. Away they go!!

  6. Like you we have been blessed with an extended growing season. No frost yet in the mountains of Virginia. I, too, feel the urgency to harvest everything possible with the world the way it is. It’s nice to know that those beans-that-don’t-rattle will dry down well enough in a warm spot. I’ve noticed that even the medicinal and edible weeds have had a second growth. We are counting our blessings. Happy fall.

    • Thanks Carol. Yes, even our broccoli and cabbage had second spurts of growth after having been beaten down by the heat and grasshoppers. Yea!!!

  7. You reap what you sow when it comes to your kids. Put in the time when young, deal with the minimal bumps (due to putting in one’s time) during teens. Then you don’t end up witha 30, 40 year still living at home!
    We still haven’t had a frost. Saturday calling for 34 but then back up into 40s/50s at night. Such a strange year weather wise (and otherwise for that matter).

    • I think that’s true, Selena. It is a strange world we’re living in right now. I’m so blessed to have my children all out there, doing well in their lives!!

    • Hey, there are days I wonder if I can keep on keeping on, but it always creeps forward somehow, with the help from Someone above.

  10. Love seeing pictures of your family; especially without masks on. Masks just cover a beautiful creation made by God.

    • They really love the garden and all that grows there. And I’m so happy to have them all come play out there!

  11. Frost to hit me in a day or two. Nice pumpkins! I cleaning up and putting the garden away for winter. Can you harvest beans that don’t “rattle “ for seed? In spite of the drought it’s been a good year. I enjoy the family photos.

    • I do harvest beans that don’t rattle, by laying them in a single layer near the wood stove to dry.

    • Yes, I do harvest leather-like pods and lay them on a sheet or table to finish drying. As long as the beans inside are plump, they’re fine.

  12. Can’t believe how Mason has shot up. And those pumpkins are huge! Bet it’s nice to have your fridge back. We also had a couple days of frost down in central MN. Got the squash is all in, but still need to dig up the rest of the potatoes. Aren’t the fall color beautiful this year?

    • Mason is getting real tall. His grandpa on my side was six feet tall so maybe he’ll reach that. Yes, it is nice to have the fridge back. I still had the small LP fridge but things get stacked up dangerously in there!
      I’ve never seen prettier fall colors!

  13. Grandchildren are all growing too fast but sure look great. Ava is a beautiful. I am in western South Dakota and we have been fortunate not to have frost yet. Have a feeling that ends tonight.

    • Yep. We got our freeze last Wednesday night and it’s been cold ever since. But we got a fabulous harvest in, in time.

  14. Thanks for sharing photo of those beautiful grandchildren. Two helpful sons are a blessing and don’t even get me started on Will.

    • Despite the heat, drought and grasshoppers, we’ve had the best harvest we’ve ever had this year. We’re so happy!!!

  17. Jackie,
    So lovely to hear of your adventures, even when they are normal family adventures – I am always grateful to read your updates! Thank you for sharing! And those PUMPKINS! :) WOW!

Comments are closed.