October 18th, raised beds

I'll actually try to keep up with the photos this season. Really! The first bed has peas, leeks, and broccoli and collard seedlings. The second will have radishes, carrots, parsnips, and mangels as soon as they come up.

Photos, as promised

A couple of pictures of the Biointensive bed right before I ripped everything out, plus the many many potatoes.

Moving ahead

Never underestimate potatoes - I dug up about 12 pounds (maybe more) of Yukon Golds today, after I thought there was nothing else in there! I had to use the shovel and dig down about a foot so all of that end of the bed is mixed up now. I'm going to let things rest and start putting in the clover during the week, a little at a time. The Biointensive bed is now completely torn out - it took about two hours this weekend plus another hour for the potatoes. There is one tiny little peapod on the pea plants and it's very very cute. I did get the broccoli and collards in the ground on Thursdays, and the radishes are coming up but nothing else yet.
Photos coming soon...

Winter garden

I finally moved ahead with the winter garden today. I started broccoli and collards about 2 weeks ago (I think, maybe 3) and they are coming along nicely in their little pots on the windowsill. Today I finally ripped out the tomato plants from the raised bed and put a fence around it in a futile attempt to keep the squirrels out. I planted mangels, parsnips, carrots, and radishes (all seeds) in that bed and there are some volunteer sweet basil plants already sprouting. I picked the last 2 zucchini two days ago and ripped out the last plant today. There are still 4 leeks left hanging on from the spring and the peas are coming along nicely in that bed. The broccoli and collards will go in hopefully by the end of the week. The chard is still there and I want to put in some spinach and maybe another type of green (lacinato kale?). That's the raised beds. The Biointensive bed is pretty much done for, although I got two squash this week. Next weekend I will really try to get everything ripped out (including the weeds) and if I really get with it I'll get the crimson clover cover crop in too.
Unfortunately I was too late to get into the Ecology Action 3-day workshop in November, so I've taken the dubious step of signing up for NEXT November's workshop since the March workshop is right in the middle of Certificate of Merit and right before Friday Harbor...yeah, not gonna happen. I really wanted to go but I think I've learned more from just getting out there and getting things done. I'll probably need the workshop for the 'next phase': i.e., when I've got more land and can triple or quadruple what I did this year...oh boy!

Harvest 2008

Just some examples of things I've harvested in the past month or so. The potatoes were from a while back, the tomatoes and basil were probably early August, the melon was last week and the corn/squash/tomatoes are from tonight. Potatoes:Yukon Gold, squash: Yellow Straightneck, tomatoes: Green Zebra, Roma, Brandywine, Rutgers, and Better Boy (I think), basil: Genovese, corn: Golden Bantam, and the melon, 'Arizona', is an heirloom variety of canteloupe that doesn't seem to be too well known. It is SO sweet and flavorful...everything was great! This is my first year of serious gardening and I am definitely hooked...

Palak Panir

Palak Panir
Originally uploaded by wbajzek

Last one for the night! Angeline made this while I worked on the other things. This is basic palak panir, except we used niter kibbeh for the sauteeing part. We had a bit for dinner after we finished cooking, with some leftovers and a well-earned bottle of Samuel Smith's apple cider. Mmmmmm....

Miser Allecha

Miser Allecha
Originally uploaded by wbajzek

This is basically just spiced lentils and onion. Also from Papa Tofu.

I bought some injera at the ethiopian market to serve with these things. I'm really looking forward to it!