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The Last Harvest

December 29th, 2014

Cold weather arrived before I was quite ready for it at least two months ago. My hopes of harvesting my leeks before the ground froze were dashed. But then we had a nice warmup this week. As a result I spent this weekend working in the garden.
Leeks and sunchokes 2
I dug a mess of leeks that will be cleaning, chopped, cooked, and eaten. Luckily there are a few delicious recipes features in my copy of Tender. Most of them feature potatoes, which I have a root cellar full of so I’m in business.
Leeks and sunchokes 1
Another recipe calls for Jerusalem Artichokes, which I also harvested a mess of yesterday. I’ve grown this vegetable for many years but I’ve never harvested many of them to eat. I just let them multiply and replant them since I started with only two tubers. They’ve grown into quite a nice little patch, I was amazed at how productive they are.
Leeks and sunchokes 3
It’s no wonder many people keep a patch in the garden for insurance purposes in case the economy goes south. I’ve also heard that some folks keep a nice plot going to feed the pigs come fall. My pigs wouldn’t eat the tubers this year, but I’m guessing if they got hungry enough they would.
Leeks and sunchokes 4
I’m certain this will be my last harvest of 2014, at least it should be. The weather is supposed to turn very cold this week and the ground should finally freeze. Hopefully I will be able to get out today to plant my elephant garlic so I can enjoy it’s beautiful blooms next summer!

Are you harvesting anything from your garden right now?

9 Comments to “The Last Harvest”
  1. Lemongrass on December 29, 2014 at 8:01 am

    Am harvesting cassava, sweet potatoes, and Tannia, yautia (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) mostly root vegetables.
    When I lived in South Carolina, my neighbour grew two patches of Jerusalem Artichokes and always shared harvest with me. I love steaming them and adding them to salads and soups.
    Enjoy your harvest.

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  2. Lauar on December 29, 2014 at 8:49 am

    I harvested the last of the onions (red and vidalia) a couple of weeks ago before we got a deep freeze. We grow in raised beds so they lasted longer than if they were in the ground. Very tasty!

    Reply to Lauar's comment

  3. Nebraska Dave on December 29, 2014 at 9:45 am

    Susy, nope nothing being harvested here. I am getting serious about trying my idea of basement growing this year. Since my endeavor of five gallon bucket growing outside, I’ve considered doing it in the basement. It would be a simple task to set up one rain gutter with buckets on it. One ten foot section would carry about six or seven buckets. That would be enough to grow lettuce, spinach, radishes, etc. It would be something to occupy my time until seed starting begins.

    Have a great last of the year harvesting day.

    Reply to Nebraska Dave's comment

  4. DebbieB on December 29, 2014 at 9:49 am

    The only thing I’m still getting is green onions – I harvest the green shoots once a week, and leave the bulbs in the ground. Until I have a larger garden, it’s better for me to get my whole onions at the farmer’s market, and grow my own green onions for chopping. I’m amazed at how expensive they always are at the grocery store (and they’re all from Mexico… what’s up with THAT?), I get two big bunches worth every week from my garden. We use them a lot in cooking.

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  5. Jaye Whitney on December 29, 2014 at 10:07 am

    Nothing being harvested here (N. Texas) either.

    I am in the planning stages of garden though. I’ve had just about enough rest and idleness for the year and am ready to put my hands into the soil again.

    I’ve never tried the Jerusalem Artichokes and may look into them.

    Reply to Jaye Whitney's comment

  6. sarah on December 29, 2014 at 11:36 am

    I’m harvesting greens here (Austin) – kale, mustard, cilantro, arugula. And weirdly, lots of poblanos. We’ve had a bunch of nights in the low 20s and they’re still hanging in there.

    I have alfalfa planted for the chickens and the rabbit and they eat it before it can get more than a few inches tall.

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  7. Kyle on December 29, 2014 at 4:41 pm

    We had a hard freeze here a few weeks ago, which, amazingly, killed off all of my greens, including well-established kale. :( So, I’m down to rutabegas. I am enjoying what I put up over the summer, though. Sadly, I’m almost through my blueberries….need to freeze more next year!

    Reply to Kyle's comment

  8. Maybelline on December 30, 2014 at 12:17 am

    Lettuce, cauliflower, carrots, green onions.
    It’s finally cool enough here not to sweat while gardening. The lettuce is covered when night temps dip down to freezing though.
    Snow in the desert in a few days!

    Reply to Maybelline's comment

  9. Lorna on December 30, 2014 at 11:04 am

    We’re still gleaning carrots, kale and parsley. I wish I had left so much more in the garden this fall, but who knew it would be such a mild winter up to this point? In fact, we’ve had temps into the 50’s and quite a bit of rain, so there is no frost left in the ground and my perennial plants are thinking it’s time to wake up! Not good for MA. I’m looking forward to the cold that is coming our way :)

    Reply to Lorna's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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