It's been busy down on the farm

I just realized the other day that I hadn't posted in a month, and a lot has happened, which is why I haven't been writing; I've been too busy doing! I thought that farmers took in their harvest in the fall and then spent the rest of the fall and winter sharpening tools and looking at seed catalogs-not so! I have always been a gardener who stopped gardening towards the end of August, but because I have a lot of expansion plans between now and spring, I have kept going, and still have more to do. However, I'll give a quick update on the projects and write more detail later.

One of the things we have done is to plant fall strawberries. I am the impatient type, and I have a real problem planting strawberries in the spring and not getting any berries until the next spring. I kept thinking about the strawberry farmers I know who plant a new crop each year, and they plant in the fall, so after much searching I found a place that sold fall strawberry plants and ordered twenty five. I have two varieties, Sweet Charlie and Chandler, both of which are supposed to do well in our area.This is what they looked like after planting:

I also planted a fall garden; broccoli, cabbage, turnips, radishes, carrots, lettuce, collards, spinach and chard. The collards have been eaten by some four legged critter, the broccoli and cabbage were also munched on, but survived and may yet produce something. Here are some of the pictures of the things we have been able to eat:

 

 

Don't get too excited about the size of the carrots, note my thumb beside them, they are pretty small, but they are delicious at that size. We also have turnips, but I haven't taken any pictures. I also have been making some things with our herbs and have tried my hand at hot sauce.

Another project intended to extend our growing season is a cold frame. I have always wanted to build one but have lacked motivation. I'll provide a blow by blow description later, but basically I built a box and put an old window on top of it to create my own little "greenhouse" I have planted lettuce, spinach, radishes, and onions in it, and I may make another one in the garden proper with the other window later. It's a little rough, but I did make it myself!

So, until I can write in more detail about the other stuff going on here that's it! Another busy day tomorrow, but I'm really loving getting more out of our real estate than a yard to mow.