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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6722 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6722 Posts

Posted - Oct 06 2019 :  07:07:33 AM  Show Profile
This morning I planted 38 garlic cloves from MJF in raised bed. I've been growing garlic from grocery store but this year I wanted to have scapes in the spring and MJF's garlic is the kind that produces scapes.

Later today I will prep elephant garlic to plant Tues morning. It's not cloves but the seeds of elephant garlic. Tips have to be cut off so you can see the nut inside and then soaked for 24 hrs. I have 13 seeds and there's room for them in another raised bed.

Unless something unexpected happens after planting elephant garlic I'll be done with 2019 plantings and I can start dreaming-planning for 2020.

Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015. & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.

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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6722 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6722 Posts

Posted - Oct 29 2019 :  06:53:50 AM  Show Profile
Looks like winter is trying to come into northeast Texas early - down to 32 Wed night. Some of the MJF garlic I planted is coming up. I was counting on falling leaves from two huge oak trees to cover all outside plants but the leaves aren't falling yet so I will have to find ways to protect them.

Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015. & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.

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StitchinWitch
True Blue Farmgirl

2105 Posts

Judith
Galt CA
USA
2105 Posts

Posted - Oct 29 2019 :  12:00:46 PM  Show Profile
I planted 12 saffron crocus bulbs last week. I can see the tips of several already breaking the surface.

Judith

7932
Happiness is Homemade
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6722 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6722 Posts

Posted - Oct 29 2019 :  12:39:01 PM  Show Profile
Judith how exciting. You have any idea how much saffron you will be able to harvest or are you growing them just for their blooms?

Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015. & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.

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StitchinWitch
True Blue Farmgirl

2105 Posts

Judith
Galt CA
USA
2105 Posts

Posted - Oct 29 2019 :  1:33:46 PM  Show Profile
We like to use saffron in cooking. The harvest will be tiny as there are only three stamens per bloom, so since these are first year bulbs I only expect one blossom per bulb, which would come out to 36 stamens. Enough for a few pots of rice or exotic Middle Eastern recipes. More next year.

Judith

7932
Happiness is Homemade
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6722 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6722 Posts

Posted - Oct 29 2019 :  1:51:55 PM  Show Profile
I hope they do well for you. I've never used saffron but would like to try it someday. Keep us posted on how your bulbs are doing and I might give it a try next year.

Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015. & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.

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saram
True Blue Farmgirl

521 Posts

Sara
Biggs CA
USA
521 Posts

Posted - Nov 04 2019 :  10:50:58 PM  Show Profile
This is the time of year in my part of the country to grow and enjoy salads. I used to think of green salad as a cool dish for hot summer days until I learned to grow my own salad greens. Now, I can’t wait for fall when the salad season begins.
I have starts of a wide range of lettuces, from bib and loose leaf varieties, to reds and iceberg, plus romaine and mustards and a mesclun mix. Not a lot of any of them because it just takes a small amount of each to fill a bowl. When I go out to gather a salad I also scout around for wild and volunteer plants to add texture and variety. Dandelion, chicory and arugula are usually available, and sometimes I can sprinkle in chives, kales, beet greens or borage blossoms. Today I could add carrot and baby beet thinnings, as well as the last of the cherry tomatoes which I pulled up and brought into the garage before the first frost. It’s a satisfying chore, because of the hunt and gather, and for the delicious reward of the dish.
There isn’t much more satisfying than a bowlful of fresh greens gathered from the yard and garden, any time of year!
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6722 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6722 Posts

Posted - Nov 05 2019 :  06:03:25 AM  Show Profile
Sara your salad garden will give you many days of happy eating.

Must say it's good to have you back sharing what you are doing.

Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015. & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.

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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl

4702 Posts

Dawn
Naperville Illinois
USA
4702 Posts

Posted - Nov 05 2019 :  08:22:03 AM  Show Profile
Judith, enjoy your homegrown saffron! My husband is originally from Iran and saffron is a staple in all of their recipes.

Dawn in IL

“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house." N. Hawthorne
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saram
True Blue Farmgirl

521 Posts

Sara
Biggs CA
USA
521 Posts

Posted - Nov 05 2019 :  09:39:25 AM  Show Profile
On another thread folks were sharing happy memories of Lima beans. I’ve grown bush Lima’s 2 years now— Fordhook variety—and had very small crops from them, which is sad because fresh, young Lima’s are the best! Has anyone had better luck with this veggie? I was thinking about trying a pole variety next year.
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StitchinWitch
True Blue Farmgirl

2105 Posts

Judith
Galt CA
USA
2105 Posts

Posted - Nov 05 2019 :  12:31:47 PM  Show Profile
Dawn -- I've had several friends from Iran and I always looked forward to their offerings at potlucks. My favorite is the chicken with walnut and pomegranate sauce, which I finally learned how to make.

Judith

7932
Happiness is Homemade

Edited by - StitchinWitch on Nov 05 2019 12:32:14 PM
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saram
True Blue Farmgirl

521 Posts

Sara
Biggs CA
USA
521 Posts

Posted - Nov 09 2019 :  10:55:51 PM  Show Profile
My summer garden is now officially dead. Frosts have put an end to my many months of weeding, watering, harvesting and preserving. It’s like I’m suddenly on vacation!
I have become aware of the difference between my summer and my winter gardens. Summer represents weeks and weeks of work, both in the garden and in the kitchen (which I love, don’t get me wrong!) But the winter garden is slow and steady, and full of fresh things to put on the dinner table at a moment’s notice. So much calmer! Plus, if I don’t use what’s out there right away, it’ll wait for me. But in the summer garden it’s all “Hurry, hurry! I can’t hold this state of readiness for long!”

Summer is SO much more demanding!
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lovinRchickens
True Blue Farmgirl

3435 Posts

Kelly
Pipe Creek Texas
USA
3435 Posts

Posted - Nov 10 2019 :  05:11:35 AM  Show Profile
Sara,
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Here in Tx it is rush in summer. But winter garden is so calm and lovely.

Farmgirl #5111
Farmgirl of the month October 2014 & January 2019
Blessings
~Kelly~
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6722 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6722 Posts

Posted - Nov 10 2019 :  06:48:26 AM  Show Profile
My garden had slowed down to a slow crawl until my sister gave me yellow pansies to put in a container. Will do that today and put on deck so I all I have to do is walk out kitchen door to water. By this time of year I am through with watering but yellow pansies are so pretty and sister so sweet to think of me.

Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015. & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.

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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4080 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4080 Posts

Posted - Nov 11 2019 :  03:26:16 AM  Show Profile
My 2019 gardens are all done. the Veggie garden has been tilled and gotten chopped up leaves on it. Manure will be next. The flowers, and herbs are cut off. Everything is froze now. High of 17 today. Enjoy your pansies Sara, they make you smile. Good luck to the southern gardens, I hope you get a good harvest.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6722 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6722 Posts

Posted - Nov 11 2019 :  06:54:18 AM  Show Profile
Michelle, now that you have put your garden to bed the winter months are the time to dream and plan for your 2020 garden. Happy dreaming.

Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015. & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.

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saram
True Blue Farmgirl

521 Posts

Sara
Biggs CA
USA
521 Posts

Posted - Nov 11 2019 :  09:13:19 AM  Show Profile
Michele, I admire your ability to properly finish a garden. That takes real foresight and character that I usually come up short on!

Tell me, do you rotate the garden location, or do your amendments take care of all your soil needs? And what kind of manure do you apply?
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4080 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4080 Posts

Posted - Nov 11 2019 :  4:15:22 PM  Show Profile
We have lived on our place for 31 years now and the garden is in the same place. Every year, it get cow or some chicken manure, and straw put on it. I use leaves as mulch for the plants, so it has that too. Works up beautifully. I should throw a bag of lime on it but usually don't get that done. I have never done a soil test on my garden, just on the fields, and they do need lime. I am just happy to have it worked up to keep any weeds at bay in the fall. This year we did not have to worry about it, as we were so wet and now cold. lol no dreaming till spring, I need that break from the extra work. Now that there is just two of us, my garden has gone down to just one and it has gotten smaller. Saram, I should say that my sister and her husband brought a new lawn tractor with a tiller attachment. They came by and worked it up for me. I do usually try to get it plowed every fall. It is nice to have help!

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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saram
True Blue Farmgirl

521 Posts

Sara
Biggs CA
USA
521 Posts

Posted - Nov 12 2019 :  9:12:48 PM  Show Profile
Michele, there’s nothing more helpful than a friend with a tractor!!

I’ve been trying to move my plot around the last few years but honestly I’ve been battling terrible weeds since. You just made me realize the folly of that! Maybe I should just put more effort into fall improvements like you and save myself a lot of trouble!

Thanks!!
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4080 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4080 Posts

Posted - Nov 13 2019 :  02:40:52 AM  Show Profile
Each person has their own ideas that work for them or are looking for new ideas. I always listen, read and make up my own mind of what i think will work. My garden always has weeds, don't think you can get away from that with soil that is not covered. I do try to mulch everything that I can. That has made a big difference and then it is converted to soil as it decomposes. I would love to transition to raised beds. But then you have to water them, so each method has it plus and minus.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl

4702 Posts

Dawn
Naperville Illinois
USA
4702 Posts

Posted - Nov 13 2019 :  07:03:37 AM  Show Profile
Judith, can you give me a few more details about the Persian chicken dish you like, I can get you the recipe I use if it is the one I'm thinking of.
Great job on getting so much done on your farm Michele! I don't know how you manage all of it. Stay warm!
Best of luck to the southern farmgirls gardens. Don't forget to post pictures for us color starved northern farmgirls this winter!

Dawn in IL

“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house." N. Hawthorne
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StitchinWitch
True Blue Farmgirl

2105 Posts

Judith
Galt CA
USA
2105 Posts

Posted - Nov 13 2019 :  2:07:28 PM  Show Profile
Dawn -- I use pomegranate molasses and grind the walnuts until they are almost walnut butter but not quite and cook these with the chicken until the chicken is very dark (from the walnuts and molasses, not the heat). It's incredibly delicious, especially with saffron rice. We grow our own saffron.

Judith

7932
Happiness is Homemade

Edited by - StitchinWitch on Nov 13 2019 2:08:25 PM
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saram
True Blue Farmgirl

521 Posts

Sara
Biggs CA
USA
521 Posts

Posted - Nov 17 2019 :  10:30:18 PM  Show Profile
My summer garden has been technically dead since the end of October when we got our first frost. I went away for a week, and since coming back I have gone back through the garden multiple times to keep bringing in more produce. I found a few Lima beans, four cantaloupe, a couple of oversized zucchini which will keep for a month or more to be used in soups, and some odd, small but good bell peppers. I’ve collected around 40 pounds of tomatoes from under the dead vines , some red, some yellow, some at green break which is when the fruit changes from green to white-green, indicating they have matured enough to continue ripening off the vine. I will have at least two more days of saucing is the next couple of weeks from these boxes of fruit.
I also did a final sweep of my shelling beans which will render about two gallons of plump dry beans for the winter. I grow a variety called “Bingo” which I got from Territorial Seed, but I now save my seed each year. They are delicious, tender beans, grown on a trellis. My green beans also are pole varieties, Kentucky Blue Lake and Rattlesnake. From them I have been collecting the dry pods that I finally let go, after picking upwards of 200 pounds fresh green beans through the summer. I have not yet tasted their bean seeds to know if I like them, but if they are good I will have a couple of quarts of those beans from my dead garden as well. I still have some tomatillos to collect, as well as winter squash and leeks.
We are expecting yet another week of temperatures in the low 70’s, with lows in the 40’s. My goal is to remove the last of all the edibles so I can chop and till and be done for the year! I just can’t walk away when there’s still produce in the field!!
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6722 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6722 Posts

Posted - Nov 18 2019 :  06:00:31 AM  Show Profile
Sara you had quite a garden. When I used to start plants from seeds I ordered tomato seeds from Territorial Seeds. I'm glad you were able to gather every last tomato, pepper and misc veggies. Happy winter storing and canning. After all your work it will be good to put the garden to bed until next year.

Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015. & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.

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saram
True Blue Farmgirl

521 Posts

Sara
Biggs CA
USA
521 Posts

Posted - Nov 21 2019 :  07:58:08 AM  Show Profile
We are still having weather in the low 70’s here, and no frost since the last week of October. Good news for the winter garden where lettuces are filling out, sugar snap peas are forming pods, carrots and beets need to be thinned and garlic is pushing out of the soil.

But we haven’t seen rain since June.
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