Growing and Harvesting Delicious Fresh Food to Better Yourself

October 2024

Preparing Your Fall Garden for Years of Abundance

As the summer winds down, it’s time to start thinking about your fall garden and how it can set you up for future harvests. Depending on which planting zone you live in, fall is the perfect time to plant crops that will feed you next year and beyond. Planning now ensures your garden stays productive even through the colder months.

What to Plant in the Fall

Depending on your zone, you can plant a wide variety of crops in the fall that will mature in the coming year. These are some of my top recommendations:

• Fruit Trees: Fall is an ideal time to plant fruit trees like apples, pears, and peaches. The cooler weather helps the trees establish strong root systems before winter sets in, so they’ll be ready to take off in the spring. Be sure to plant them in a sunny, well-drained area.

• Berry Bushes: Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries thrive when planted in the fall. They’ll establish roots during the cooler months and give you a bounty of fruit next summer.

• Strawberries: Strawberry plants are hardy and can handle cold weather well. Planting them in the fall gives them plenty of time to establish, leading to a robust harvest next year.

• Garlic: Garlic is a must for fall planting, and it’s incredibly easy to grow. Plant garlic bulbs in the fall, and by late spring or early summer, you’ll have a fresh crop of garlic to harvest. I recommend getting your bulbs from a local nursery or ordering online from reputable farmers. One great option is Keene Organics (keeneorganics.com).

• Bulbs and Perennials: Don’t forget about bulbs and other perennials that need to be planted in the fall. Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths will give you beautiful blooms in the spring, while other perennials will come back year after year, providing beauty and sustainability to your garden.

Know Your Zone and Frost Dates

It’s essential to know your planting zone and frost dates before you start your fall garden. Check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to determine which plants will thrive in your area and when your first frost is expected. This will help you plan when to plant each crop, ensuring that they get established before winter arrives.

Preparing the Garden for Winter

One of the most important steps in fall gardening is preparing your beds to withstand the winter. Here are a few things you can do:

• Mulch: Mulching your fall garden is crucial to protect the roots of any crops or trees you plant. A thick layer of organic mulch, like straw or shredded leaves, will insulate the soil and keep it from freezing, helping your plants survive the harshest winter conditions.

• Compost and Soil Prep: Add compost or organic matter to your garden beds to replenish nutrients. This will help your fall plantings establish strong roots and give them a boost when spring comes.

• Row Covers or Cold Frames: If you’re in an area with harsh winters, consider using row covers or cold frames to protect tender plants from frost. This can extend the growing season and help your fall crops get a better start.

By planning ahead and preparing your fall garden now, you’ll set yourself up for a productive growing season next year. With fruit trees, berry bushes, garlic, and other crops, you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor for years to come. Don’t forget to check your planting zone, mulch your beds, and get your seeds or bulbs from a trusted source like local farmers markets, nurseries and online stores like Keene Organics!

Harvest Time: Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor and Prepare for Next Year

Harvest time is one of the most rewarding seasons on the homestead because you get to experience the fruits of your hard work. After months of tending to your garden, watching the plants grow, and nurturing them through weather challenges, it’s finally time to reap the rewards. Whether you’ve got a modest collection or an overwhelming bounty, there’s nothing quite like enjoying the taste of your homegrown produce.

But what if you have a huge yield and you’re wondering, “What the heck do I do with all of this?” Don’t worry; there are plenty of ways to preserve and enjoy your harvest long after the growing season ends.

Preservation Options

1. Canning

Canning is a fantastic way to preserve fruits, vegetables, and even meats for months or even years. Be sure to read safety instructions carefully so your canned goods are safe to eat. Pressure canning and water bath canning each have different requirements, so make sure you use the right method depending on what you’re preserving.

2. Pickling

Pickling adds an extra zing to your produce, and you can pickle anything from cucumbers to peppers to green beans. It’s a simple way to preserve your harvest while adding flavor to your pantry.

3. Freezing

Freezing is a convenient option for quick preservation. Many vegetables can be blanched and frozen for later use. Fruits can also be frozen, often with a bit of sugar or in syrup to help maintain their texture and flavor.

4. Drying

Drying fruits, vegetables, and herbs is another excellent preservation method that can be done with a dehydrator or by air-drying. Dried produce can be stored long-term in airtight containers and is perfect for adding to soups, stews, and snacks.

Don’t Forget Seed Saving

Another critical part of preparing for next year is saving seeds from your best produce. This simple practice allows you to maintain a self-sufficient garden, knowing that your seeds come from your strongest and healthiest plants.

Here’s a quick and easy method for saving seeds:

• Select seeds from the biggest and healthiest produce in your garden.

• Soak the seeds in cool water overnight to clean them off.

• Drain the seeds, then let them dry for another 24 hours.

• Once dried, package the seeds in small brown paper envelopes.

• Store them in a dark, cool area, such as a pantry or storage closet.

This ensures you have a head start on next year’s planting season with seeds you know are reliable.

Harvest time is all about celebrating the hard work you’ve put in, and with the right preservation methods, you can enjoy your harvest all year long.

June 2024

Garden Update

Every year, I find myself in desperate need of fresh tomatoes. It’s a seasonal craving that kicks in as soon as the garden starts to flourish. This year, I aimed to simplify things by planting more perennials, reducing the need for replanting each season. However, in a funny twist, I accidentally tossed an old container with seeds, and now I have a greenhouse brimming with 100 dill and marigolds.

There’s something truly special about growing plants from seed. While there’s no shame in buying starters—I totally understand the convenience—I’ve gotten better at saving seeds each year, which also helps me save money in the long run. There’s a certain satisfaction in nurturing plants from the very beginning, watching them grow and thrive.

May 2024

Herbs that keep on giving

If you want more bang for your buck then plant perennials, it sounds like a no-brainer but so many people don’t think ahead and plan out their garden. I always recommend to plant what you want to eat or use! If you don’t like asparagus then do not plant it. I like to start many of my perennials in my hydroponics system indoors during winter and then transplant into small soil pot when it’s warm enough in the greenhouse. Here are a few of my favorite things: thyme, rosemary (even thought it doesn’t grow back in Colorado each year because of the frigid weather), stinging nettle, St. John’s Wort, stevia, mugwort, horseradish, bergamot, honeysuckle, oregano, yarrow, lavender, asparagus, chamomile, chives, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Many of these herbs I start from seed and the berry plants I purchased when they are a decent size so I can start to enjoy the fruits of my labor. Many of these herbs are hard to find fully mature so I recommend figuring out how you use herbs and what produce you like to have around your home.

It can be daunting but start with the things you do not like and then move forward. Take time and research what plants do well next to one another because that can depend on what you decide to plant. I use many of these plants for spell work and I’m very lucky to have a treasure trove of wild herbs that grow in my fields.

Perennials are lovely because you plant once and they pop up every year. Typically these plants/seeds/roots are more expensive but it’s worth it in the long run.

April 2024

Ladies (she/her), gents (him/he), they/thems, it’s spring time! It’s April 1st and we’ve just celebrated the Equinox and Ostara. It’s time to get those seeds ready to sow! It’s still too cold in Colorado to plant directly in the ground with the exception of potatoes. If you have a greenhouse you can start to get some of the seeds in to some soil blocks with a cover to get things moving. You can also bring your trays inside the house and put them under some grow lights. I got mine from Amazon: DOMMIA Grow Light, 4 Dimmable Levels Full Spectrum Grow Light with Auto On & Off Timer, 256 LEDs Sunlike Plant Growing Lamp for Seedlings, Veg, Bloom, Idea for Indoor Plants (2Pcs)

Storing seeds/seed potatoes: Dark, cool plan within your home.

Before you get too excited and shove seeds into the ground, check your grow zone so you plant after the last frost day where you live. Here is the primary website to check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map. Trust me, it’s better to be safe than sorry especially if you plan on buying starters. There is nothing worse than buying plants and the die because of a last minute frost.

Potatoes you can roll the dice since you typically bury the seed potatoes 2-3 inches down, I also recommend covering with some mulch to help prevent them freezing. Here’s the thing that no one tells you, potato seeds typically get put in stores end of Feb/early March and I recommend grabbing a bag or two quickly because a lot of the times the potatoes will start to go bad and rot -especially if you buy them at Farm Supply stores like Big R or Tractor Supply. The bags are bigger and you can get larger seed potatoes but they will rot quickly because they get stacked on top of each other.