Fall Garden

Growing up in NW Iowa was quite a bit different than Kentucky.  Iowa is notorious for its long cold winters and hot humid summers and there always seems to be a breeze (20+ mile per hour winds).  I noticed spring comes a few weeks early even though we have to battle through the spring winters; blackberry, dogwood, linen britches and dogwood which was all new to me.  That also means winter is usually a little later as well.  So about this time of year I was used to picking the garden and getting ready for fall.  Now, a lot of the garden is already picked and we are getting ready for the fall garden.

That's what we did today at Granny's.  What was supposed to be a very early arrival this morning to beat the heat turned into a later than usual start as the bed was just a little comfier than it usually is.  Thankfully there were many clouds and a nice breeze.  We picked and picked, tilled and hoed, and by 9:30 we had a majority of the fall garden planted.  We got the second round of beans, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli in today.  And as always, the best part comes next...lunch!  Salmon patties, biscuits and gravy and fried okra.

I have always believed that it is important to teach a child the basic skills of being able to grow food, even in today's world where there are grocery stores that have everything you could ever imagine.  With that being said, Kennick was a great help today.  He helped Karalee pick a lot of tomatoes, peppers and many other veggies.  He even helped me and Granny do some planting.

This was Kennick helping me plant cabbage.

We have been truly blessed this year.  We had a good haul today and there is plenty more.  Tonight we will be busy cleaning and heading out to start canning some veggie soup.  Went over to Grammy and Grandad's house to help wash, cut and start the canning.  A very special thanks to Darlene who finished up with the pressure canner while we got Kennick to bed.  

While working in the garden is usually hot and tiresome it all seems worth it on those cold winter days when you pour a hot bowl of soup and remember back to the hot days of playing in the sun.

Kennick helping us plant a cabbage

Kennick watering the green beans

Here's what we took home today.  Tomatoes, carrots, onions, peppers, cucumbers, beets, okra and sweet potatoes.  This is just the beginning on a lot of them.  Hope we have a place to put them.

This is Kennick taking a picture of the goods with his "phone".  Like father like son.