What are you harvesting now?

[Mini Horses]

Nothing except eggs to harvest! Doing ok considering time of year -- enough to sell to pay for their own feed, that's a plus.

Right now I am reviewing all these "garden porn" seed catalogs.
Like most of you are. Hey, something to do on these nasty rainy days and dream of Spring.

I have my previous list of all these seeds I have on hand (it's shameful!) and have now made a list of what I "think" I want to grow. With that, I have asked myself -- just how much of this do you actually eat? When I consider that which I like but don't really eat very often, it sure clears up space in the garden! Why even buy seed, care for it, etc., if I only eat 1 or 2X a month? Less costly to just buy that little bit....or trade if someone else has it. Making myself look at my use sure helps control my desire to plant "everything"!!

Since I am moving 4 piggies to help pre-plow, where and what I am going to grow has become a project. My planning is to put some things in my raised bed, near house/barn area so I will be able to easily work them & harvest --- some things spread where I can grow, harvest, then release animals onto same area -- some of this "stuff" will include actual forage items that will be pastured in a rotation system & not require so much constant care.

Then there are the items I plan to grow, sell, feed excess to animals, can, etc. Mostly tomatoes, peppers, corn - beans - pumpkins (3 sisters), squash, eggplant, greens of several type.
Once harvested, those fields will be seeded for winter forage.
I have a lot of grazing animals!

This is a LOT of work!! A 10X12 area is looking good Any newbies, take note. Small is good.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Definitely! Small and productive is waaaaay better than biting off more than you can chew (or weed, or harvest or can)!

 

[Poka_Doodle]

I am too the point in the Winter were you aren't harvesting anything

 

[Britesea]

I've been going through the catalogs also. One thing I want to do is buy enough seed for 2-3 years. I can store the extra seeds in a cool dry place and I'll have something in case of emergencies- such as crop failure; I hate when a favorite variety becomes unavailable because of crop failure!
In order to have 2-3 years' worth, I have to know how much I actually use each year- so I've been making those lists.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Tah Dah!

Today I harvested... actually it fell off the vine... a NINE pound squash! That's a standard one cup measuring cup beside it. Sorry it's sideways... ugh!

 

[Mini Horses]

What a squash!


Britesea, keep in mind, when hubby retires you can get more tended in garden (maybe?) --- or will you two be travelers?
Somehow, I think you will not be gone long during garden season as you do so well with the use of the veggies. Some of the pkgs have so many seeds -- more than most of us use in one season unless it's quickie stuff--lettuce, radish, etc. My house has a lot of porch rails and I'm thinking I'd like a planter I saw that just hangs on & over the top rails. Only for herbs....good light on back at one end and it's by kitchen.

So, the squash makes me want to go out and harvest!

 

[Denim Deb]

Just watch that rooster to be sure he doesn't start pecking your squash!

 

[Britesea]

We don't travel much @Mini Horses but DH has bad knees and flat feet that hurt ALL THE TIME because of 30 years of working on cement floors, wrenching on buses. I don't think he'll want to do much kneeling etc at first; I told him I was putting him in charge of sorting mail (throwing out junk mail, shredding the stuff that needs shredding, filing, and paying bills) since that is a job I HATE! I have a couple of boxes stuffed with old junk mail and magazines that need to be sorted in case there's something that needs to be saved in there (not likely, but it could happen). He can do most of the work while sitting on the couch.

The seed numbers are in! I will need quite a bit more for the large seeds like favas, green beans and peas; the small seeds I can get away with 1 or 2 packets.

Pretty nice squash @frustratedearthmother !

 

[sumi]

Tah Dah!

Today I harvested... actually it fell off the vine... a NINE pound squash! That's a standard one cup measuring cup beside it. Sorry it's sideways... ugh!

View attachment 1095

That is a nice squash and I LOVE that chicken behind it!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks! I picked another one just like it yesterday and there are a couple more still hanging on the vine. I love that chicken too - much quieter and cleaner than the ones that live outside!