Calypso

This years Calypso Beans were harvested a while ago..... we just finally got around to getting them shelled!

Harvest total was 5 lbs.

This Heirloom Calypso Bean has always been an All Star in our garden, we look forward to growing this bean, for years to come!

Our beans were sourced from Seed Savers Exchange

Looking at the price per pound now.... I am thankful to have started saving my seeds years ago ;-)

Crazy Carrot

Fall is most definitely in the air, and I have been slowly harvesting carrots as the Earth is still willing to give up it's bounty before the frost.

Today in the garden, we found this crazy six fingered carrot. 

You just never know what will come up... when you tug on those green frilly tops!

Simple Apple Salad

I really wish I could remember what variety of apples we planted, way back when....

At the time, I was a sleep deprived, busy Mom with two little ones in diapers....Remembering the apple names were the least of my worries at the time..

It sure would be nice to know them now!

The red variety, is a dense apple with a tart flavor and a blushing pink flesh. 

This apple is one of my favorites to add to a simple dinner salad. Just cut, toss in lemon juice to retain color and keep apples from turning brown. Then sprinkle them on your salad and pair it with your favorite dressing.

We really like the tart apples paired with locally  made Bleu Cheese Dressing from Lighthouse!

Simple, yet......Fantastic!

Hey girl.....nice "Melons"

This was my very first attempt at growing melons...I started the seeds a little late, and wondered if they would even have enough time to grow.

I had room for one vine in the greenhouse....So the cantaloupe start got thrown in there.  

The impressive results....4 itty, bitty, little melons that weighed in at meager 4 lbs.

I know, you're impressed! 

I was too ;-)

When these were harvested, they were not vine ripe, and were quite hard! 

To be honest, I didn't think they would even ripen up! 

After harvest, they spent 2 weeks in the fruit bowl on the counter, doing nothing. 

A stray ripe banana got thrown in the bowl to keep the melons company. After adding the banana to the fruit bowl, the melons ripened within 2 days.

Thanks Banana.....I think, I may just have to try that trick again!

Poop & Bones !

Great title, huh!

With Halloween just around the corner....I figured it was fitting ;-)

Sunday afternoon was spent amending the garden with aged Chicken "POOP" and Bone Meal...

We are getting ready to plant the Garlic before the ground freezes....

Apple pickin' time

So much for relaxing Sundays...

A trip into Sandpoint for shopping that needed to be done, clean the chicken coop, chop firewood, work in the garden and harvest apples.....All in a days work!

Harvesting 116 lbs. of Apples...and very Thankful for my helpers!!!

and of course...Tilly, the apple chaser....

Who needs tennis balls, when you have a tree full of apples!

Still Harvesting

 Although the greenhouse isn't heated, it still allowing us to harvest vegetables much later in the season than we normally would. At this time, we are still able to harvest Tiny Tim cherry tomatoes and have Yolo Sweet Peppers and Banana Peppers still on.

In comparison, the peppers in the garden have been done at least 3 weeks earlier.

I am enjoying the fact that we can extend the harvest to some extent!

Fall Chicks

New Fall additions....Picked these little cuties up on Saturday,  fresh from the incubator....Love having little peeps around again!

Tomato Harvest

It was high time to harvest all the tomatoes off the vines...

I have been so busy and just haven't had the time to really keep an eye on the tomatoes. Feels like I have been playing a game of roulette and needed to deal with them, before a heavy frost took care of them for me!

I pulled a total of 58 lbs.of Tomatoes off the vines today and decided to try out the Vintage Squeezo Strainer I picked up at an Estate Sale last year.

The Squeezo Strainer is AMAZING!!!!! 

It made dealing with hundreds of little cherry tomatoes a snap and short work of the big ones too!

There is no need to peel them....The strainer does all that... for you! 

The seeds and peels are separated from the juice and pulp...making it easier to save heirloom seeds if you are ever so inclined. 

The Squeezo Strainer is still being manufactured today and can be found at squeezostrainer.com 

I highly recomend this strainer....... 

If you are lucky, you can still find a deal on ebay...or keep your eyes peeled at Estate and Yard sales for a bargain.

With plenty of green tomatoes still waiting to ripen up....I am Thankful to have this strainer on hand to make my life a whole lot easier.