It’s that time of year where the bounty of your work in the garden is at hand. Well, to be honest, I don’t tend to a garden but my sister Laura, a master gardener, does and we had the chance to sit-down with a fantastic bottle of wine (Inspiration Vineyard’s 2010 Cab) and discuss the harvest and the planning of a fall garden.
Laura pointed out there is still plenty of time to get some things planted such as radishes, micro greens, and spinach for enjoyment through the fall. Other things like garlic that were harvested recently can be dried for use over the next year, and a portion planted back in the ground in the coming weeks to repeat the cycle.
If you are thinking of starting your first garden, now is a great time to scope out the location in your yard, put a tarp on the area secured with some bricks or stones, and let the the grass or foliage die. This will make the job in the spring much easier to work with. Laura recommends starting small and growing your green thumb slowly.
The fall harvest not only secures some seeds for the next year, it also enables you to store food for enjoying during the winter. While canning is great, Laura also likes to freeze lots of stuff from the garden. One great tip she has is to ‘French cut’ those green beans
that grew like Jack’s and freeze them. Shrink wrapping will extend freezer life greatly. Check out the graphic below for other freezer tips.
Laura says she is always learning in the garden and recommends a few books for any garden enthusiast. Teaming with Microbes by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis will teach you about soil health and diversity. The Market Garden by Jean-Martin Fortier is a great resource for small scale organic farming/gardening.
Lastly, Laura is involved in the community garden where she lives and shares the MangiaTV spirit that we all can make a difference by supporting local community based initiatives like this project by Millburn Elementary 2015: A Garden For Everyone. She also pointed out that working in the dirt is good for you…proven by science! So get your hands dirty and share the bounty of your efforts and grow healthier as you do it. Listen to our conversation and please share it with your garden of friends and family.
Source: eReplacementParts.com
