Remember when you were a kid and a baby carrot was actually a baby carrot and not a big carrot that had been whittled down by a machine?
I love spending the early morning hours walking through our backyard vegetable garden and harvesting something fresh each day. Shopping in your backyard is pretty rad if you ask me. It’s amazing how tomatoes that didn’t seem ripe yesterday are ready to be plucked just 24 hours later {Sun Gold tomatoes are my favorite right now}.
This year I planted 2 patio tomato plants on the side of the house and they are just beginning to ripen. I’ve never tried this variety before, have you?
Let’s talk about carrots, shall we?
Now is that time to plant carrots if you are hoping for a winter harvest. It’s so nice to be able to pluck something from the ground in the middle of January. All you need to do is get your seeds into the ground now, and then add a nice layer of mulch before your first fall frost and you should be good to go.
I’ve overwintered carrots for a couple of years now here in the Pacific Northwest and have had great success with growing them during the cooler months. 
Blueberries! The 1 gallon pots we planted this spring are now ready to harvest. How cool is that? Lucy and I have been munching on handfuls of berries each morning as we make the rounds in the garden. Next year we should get enough blueberries to make some homemade blueberry jam. 
Picking tomatoes along the back of the garden boxes was getting a little tricky so I finally had to give them a good trim. The squash vines are beginning to invade the entire area and harvesting tomatoes is going to be a little difficult from here on out.
So far we have a couple of acorn squash, a butternut {maybe 2} and some hubbard squash growing in the squash patch. I had hoped for more. I think my yield would have been higher if the squash bed was deeper so I’ll have to work on building up the area this winter.
And last but not least, my crazy pole beans. They are now about 7 feet tall. How fun is that? How is your garden coming along?
Are you in full on harvest mode?
~Mavis
This years garden is being sponsored by the awesome folks at Botanical Interests Seed Company. You can check out their website HERE, order their new 2015 Garden Seed Catalog, or see the seeds I’ll be growing in my garden this year HERE.
MerryMouse says
Oh, Mavis, Mavis! What a lovely experience taking a “virtual” through your garden! Can’t believe you still have blueberries. And the carrot rows, laid out with a straight stick–great idea! Reminds me of the “Garden Song” by David Mallet–“Plant your rows straight and long: Temper them with love and song. Mother Earth will make you strong if you give her love and care!”
One of the reasons I like your blog and garden photos is because everything is neat and tidy and healthy-looking. I try to do the same thing, but you really have a gift! So, I for one, really appreciate the effort you put in to your garden.
We got 44 HUGE butternut squash last week and now I have to start canning them in chunks for pie. They make better pumpkin pies than pumpkin! I figured out the cost of squash at 98 cents a pound and figured that was a giant bonus. Fresh tomatoes are coming like crazy and we are enjoying fresh tomato ragu with pasta or polenta. Picked the last of the raspberries and made quarts of jam. Second crop of “Jade” brand beans are ready to start picking now. It’s been getting really cold here in the northern Willamette Valley and I’m not sure there is time to plant carrots still. Finally tore out the zucchini like you did, because I couldn’t stand it anymore. But I agree with the Farmer’s Almanac that it is going to be an early winter. No robins around here for months. I am working on a project to finish the cattle-panel hoop house before winter really hits so that I can have a cold frame/greenhouse next spring. Good luck to all your followers and you and your family for a happy and healthy Fall!
Mavis says
Thank you, you definitely over-flatter me! And right back at you–I’m jealous of those 44 butternut squash!
Jen says
Mavis, which type of carrot are you sowing? I can’t find seeds anywhere locally and don’t know if I have time to order–any suggestions on places to look? Just moved to south Puget Sound, have a greenhouse plot in our community garden, and am just learning that you can plant here practically year-round! Thanks!
Mavis says
I planted Botanical Interests Danvers and Little Fingers. There is a link in the post that will take you right to their website. I have had tons of luck over-wintering them here, so I usually stick with them. You can also try local nurseries. This time of year they have usually pulled the seeds–but you can always ask if they have any left. They could still have a selection hiding in storage.
Jen says
Thank you!
Diane says
In the last ten days I’ve canned two batches of salsa with our tomatoes, peppers, and garlic, a batch of heirloom tomato sauce, several jars of diced tomatoes, and yesterday I helped a friend can a double batch of Maple-Cinnamon Applesauce with apples from her tree. I’ve put two moussaka casseroles into the freezer (with our eggplants, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic). I have tennis elbow from all the chopping and coring. And yet there are still a billion tomatoes out there lurking on the vine, laughing at me as they ripen overnight. Don’t even TALK to me about beans.
I never know whether to dance with joy or cry when harvest season hits full-on…but I’ll be dancing when I open those jars later in the winter!
Mavis says
You have been busy. It’s like child birth, though, by next spring, you will have completely forgotten how time consuming harvest time is. Right?!
Marie says
Nice haul! Not sure that I’ll get a winter garden going in time since I’m due with a baby in the next week or two. We’ll see
Out sun golds took off this year but our Roma’s are SERIOUSLY lacking. Only two ripe ones so far! I feel gyped.
How do you keep the birds out of your blueberries?!? I had a robin decimate mine this year before I finally got some bird netting.
Mavis says
Yep, bird netting is the way I usually go.
Lisa Millar says
All that beautiful looking fresh food!!!
I have enjoyed having small bits and pieces in the garden over winter. I am still digging the carrots and its the first week of spring here! Very helpful!
Seeds are in and weeds are being dug up – Can’t wait to start seeing growth.
In the meantime I will just admire your garden! 😀
Mavis says
Thank you Lisa! Keep me posted on how much you get from your fall garden.
Erin C says
Down here in Central Florida I’m getting ready to harvest the last of my summer bush beans and get my warm fall veggies in the ground. Trying to decide what I want to plant now is tricky because the rainy season and bugs are in full swing here. I may be brave and throw some sweet corn in the ground and cover it with a homemade bug netting to try to protect it from the millions of chomping creepy crawlies.
I’m very excited to plant my two dwarf everbearing black mulberry bushes that I scored from lowes earlier this week. I’m planning on picking up two banana trees this weekend from the local farmers market/farm that has some extras. Haven’t grown hem before but I’m excited to try!