fall harvests... Today is the first day of November and I am quite happy to say that the garden is still producing. We've had several hard frosts here, but some crops are quite content in the colder weather. I'm quite excited that we still have some producers. My gardening goal is to eventually become a four season grower, so this is a nice step toward that direction.
New heads of broccoli are starting to flourish, albeit much smaller than their summer versions, but just as tasty.
I'm amazed at how quickly our yard is changing. Everyday brings a new landscape. The shot above of the pear tree nestled by our canoes shows just a two week window of time. Shades of greens and other bright hues have rapidly given way to rust tones and bare branches.
Rather than harvesting the carrots and storing in our root cellar, I've opted to keep them happy in the ground, only pulling some fresh when needed. With each pull, the carrots seem to be getting smaller and smaller, but their snap and sweetness are still just as strong.
The King Richard leeks are still hanging in there. They were a bit of a late planting this summer, so they are a bit narrow, but my potato-leek soup won't mind a bit.
The brussel sprouts should be ready to harvest for a Thanksgiving delight. This plant is a must for all northern gardeners. Its flavor actually needs a hard frost to adequately develop. And while I know many people turn away at the thought of brussel sprouts, trust me when I say, cooked properly, they are completely fantastic! All you have to do is cut them in half, toss with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast at 475º for 15 minutes (turning the sprouts over once during the cooking process). They caramelize to perfection.
Probably the hardest past of autumn for me is the fact that all my woodland treasures that I hunted for the past six months are now buried under a blanket of leaves. I made a pact when I started documenting my yard to not move or alter anything I photograph, simply capture nature as it is. So I'll keep true to that promise, though I am tempted to pull back some of those leaves to check out what's going on underneath. After all, it's the cover of leaves that protects so much of the forest floor during the long winter months. So, until Spring...
6 comments:
Beautiful photos; everything looks so yummy. I was in Maine last month and it is now one of my favorite states.
hi Stevie! i'm so glad to hear that you liked Maine. Maine is still my favorite place in the world. i came up to visit after college and never left. it's easy to live a simple, quiet life here.
Your picture of broccoli is amazing!
I was happy you included a picture of your brussel sprouts as I have been concerned about mine as they are still very small. I am only growing them because I have recently eaten truly great sprouts, probably prepared much as you described. Yummy!
You seem to be on your way to becoming a master vegetable gardener. Honestly, I've never seen such incredible vegetables produced from someones yard. And if you can do this Maine in November...you should write a book! Beautiful photos too!
thanks Sylvana for the nice compliment! those Brussel Sprouts have been out there since early May and they are still that small. I can't wait to try them. This is my first year growing them. They are called Oliver. They are suppose to be growing upright, but mine have taken on a 90º angle effect and are growing horizontally.
hi El! i would love, love to become a master gardener one day. you're too kind about my veggies. this certainly was a less than stellar gardening year, but it hasn't put a damper on my plans for next year. I'm taking over the last little bit of yard we have with more beds. I may have an addiction, but at least it is a tasty one.
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