Saturday Gardening Thread: The harvest is on now! [KT]

Hello, gardeners and friends of gardeners. It was the Harvest Moon last night. Harvesting is on! Planting is also on in a few places. Desert denizens, now is YOUR big season! Planting anything now? Got any planting planned?

As you can see above, Gordon has been busy pickling beets. From last week's comment thread, JQ had some great recommendations for gardening and food preservation information from extension agencies. Pat* and Shanks for the memory had great reports. Scroll down.

Last week, Gordon noted that he still had "a few beers left, plus some onions and beans." And beets. I think I see some dill in there, too. Some of those heads look like they are at about the right stage for making pickles. Dilly beans? The heads that still have flowers attached should be ready shortly. Best for pickling while the seeds are kind of mature, but still green.

Cosmos and Cleome

Continuing our "cutting flowers from seed, inspired by Illiniwek" series, Cosmos bipinnatus and Cleome hasslerana top someone's list of nine unsung beauties for bouquets. They come in similar colors. I have always thought they made a natural pair. Both are drought-tolerant. This is probably the strain of C. bipinnatus growing in Iliniwek's border:

Cosmos Sensation Mixed

They come in separate colors, too. If you choose the white ones, you could creat a tall all-white border with Cleome, Cosmos, Datura and some shorter fillers. Nicotiana alata and Queen Anne's Lace could also be added. The flowers shooting up above everything else in this photo are Cleome.

Cleome is adaptable to many climates. But it is less familiar than the Cosmos. Maybe because it has spines. There is at least one spineless hybrid, a short one called Clio.

There are now pale yellow cultivars of Cosmos bipinnatus, too. Not to be confused with Sulfur Cosmos.

Illiniwek has Indian Corn:

Remember the wild Helenium bordering his pond? It's blooming again. I like the way it reflects on the water.

Attracting lots of Painted Ladies. Or a related species. Their caterpillars are much less fussy than Monarch caterpillars. They will eat lots of plants. And they will even eat artificial caterpillar food in butterfly-growing kits.

Bet there's some planting or harvesting going on at CaliGirl's ranch. But she has sent in a different kind of photo. Fun.

I put an old tractor near my road as a decoration. It's a 1943 farmall. It doesn't run but I think it's kind of cool.

Gardens of The Horde

Anything going on in your garden? If not, I ran across this piece, which may save you some grief next year if you pick up on an idea or two from it: Eight gardening mistakes you probably make every autumn

Have a great weekend. Hope you get to spend some time outside.

If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at g mail dot com

Include your nic unless you want to be a lurker.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:14 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Knock-knock. ???

Posted by: golfman at October 07, 2017 01:17 PM (48QDY)

2 Last Sunday bought 20# of fresh cranberries directly from the bog and 5# of freshly made craisins

Awesome

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at October 07, 2017 01:17 PM (ZTRlp)

3 Cursed be the ground for our sake. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for us. For out of the ground we were taken, for the dust we are...and to the dust we shall return.

Posted by: Insomniac - The Left Hates You and Wants You to Die at October 07, 2017 01:18 PM (NWiLs)

4 Misanthropic Humanitarian at October 07, 2017 01:17 PM

Sounds wonderful. You canning or freezing or what?

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:19 PM (BVQ+1)

5 Here it's all pumpkins and cider mills and donuts. Gotta be the right donuts though. Crispy fried cakes

Posted by: Bigby's Typing Hands at October 07, 2017 01:22 PM (z2W2E)

6 Been very dry lately. The leaves aren't falling. I don't miss mowing.

Posted by: fluffy at October 07, 2017 01:22 PM (U0v/A)

7 I like beets.

Tasty and filling.

Plus there is nothing beet juice cannot stain.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at October 07, 2017 01:23 PM (nUkMr)

8 Have hundreds of painted ladies flying around. They better get out of here. First blizzard possibly coming on Monday.

Posted by: Ronster at October 07, 2017 01:24 PM (fC+mL)

9 What was left of my garden burnt slap up at the end of August.

Even the cosmos and cleome.

Cleome is horrendously invasive around here.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 07, 2017 01:24 PM (SAlss)

10 Fluffy, I have the obverse problem -- grass still growing right smartly, and yet leaves are beginning to fall. And since there are many kinds of trees, the falling usually continues until a sleet storm freezes the last of them down. Actual dates vary by season. This can be frustrating.

Posted by: Stringer Davis at October 07, 2017 01:26 PM (H5rtT)

11 Ronster at October 07, 2017 01:24 PM

Painted Ladies get caught in the North every year. They are pretty much one-way migrators. Sad.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:28 PM (BVQ+1)

12 Walking through her flower garden, I see a lot of holes bored for bulbs, I suppose. Not sure what she plants these days. I quit asking.

Posted by: jsg at October 07, 2017 01:29 PM (eQfsE)

13 >>Last week, Gordon noted that he still had "a few beers left, plus some onions and beans." And beets.

So close, so . close ...

Posted by: Dwight Schrute at October 07, 2017 01:29 PM (yfaSg)

14 I would like to know what is in Gordon's pickled beets. I have made them with different spices: ginger, allspice, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, among others.

And onions sometimes. Turns the onions pink.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:29 PM (BVQ+1)

15 Have a third planting of green beans in. Weather in SW OH has been very warm and the beans are blooming. May get a last batch. Hoping.
Have some very tasty leaf lettuce that we have been enjoying. Probably one cutting left.
A few tomatoes been coming in.

Posted by: never enough caffeine at October 07, 2017 01:30 PM (N3JsI)

16 Bigby's Typing Hands at October 07, 2017 01:22 PM

Trying to make us jealous?

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:30 PM (BVQ+1)

17 Not so frustrating, "things we like to bitch about":
I've been meaning to turn all the beanstalks under for close to a month now.
And every time I go to check, there's another damn crop of beans to pick.
Late, cool spring, few hot days but no drought like we sometimes get, what a hell of a year it has been for beans. OK for the lettuces, a little above average (though not early) for corn, but them beans ojesus, and all five kinds too.

Posted by: Stringer Davis at October 07, 2017 01:31 PM (H5rtT)

18 Okay, I don't know who wrote that article on the 8 things done wrong every fall, but they have some damn nerve spying on our yard. What an accurate invasion of my privacy!

Posted by: JTB at October 07, 2017 01:31 PM (V+03K)

19 Illinwek, what do you do with your Indian corn?

Mine got just ripe, and then rained on. I left the ears on the stalks hoping the predicted sunny week would dry them out, but some of the kernels on the ears started to sprout.

It is sunny today finally so I will pull the rest of them off and probably hang them to try to dry.

I have done almost no canning this year. What with various issues, and remodeling my bathroom.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 07, 2017 01:32 PM (/f0LB)

20 Tammy al-Thor at October 07, 2017 01:24 PM

I knew Cleome would self-sow, but I didn't know that it was horrendously invasive in some places.

There's a little short, spineless one that will self-sow here. Not real showy. The Navajos used to eat it like spinach. If they were really desperate. Sounds like it wasn't real tasty. They had some cermonial use for the stems. Can't remember the details.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:33 PM (BVQ+1)

21 Hairyback Guy at October 07, 2017 01:23 PM

"nothing beet juice can't stain"

Good to know if you want everything you own to be a rosy pink color.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:36 PM (BVQ+1)

22 The Simpson Elite that self seeded is looking as good as it did last spring, maybe better. To make sure it doesn't get lazy, Mrs. JTB planted a couple of Earth Boxes with romaine lettuce seeds. Competition is good.

Posted by: JTB at October 07, 2017 01:36 PM (V+03K)

23 Week before last we made apple butter at my church. This has become one of our core functions and folks look forward to it all year long. From a cost perspective it makes no sense, but it's one of those things that you do for a sense of community. I don't even eat the stuff, but my wife was raised with it, as were our kids, so it's in the Xmas stockings every year.

http://www.pohick.org/applebutter.html

Posted by: pep at October 07, 2017 01:37 PM (LAe3v)

24 jsg at October 07, 2017 01:29 PM

Sometimes it's best to be surprised . . . .

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:38 PM (BVQ+1)

25 I tried to read about the 8 things done wrong every Fall, but the site doesn't like my ad blocker. So screw them.

Posted by: Ronster at October 07, 2017 01:39 PM (fC+mL)

26 6 Been very dry lately. The leaves aren't falling. I don't miss mowing.
Posted by: fluffy at October 07, 2017 01:22 PM (U0v/A)

Was so wet here in August I had to cut twice a week to stay ahead of it. The good thing is I finally bought a 60" ZT this year and dumped the regular lawn tractor. It's night and day. Now cutting the grass isn't a chore at all. Its much more enjoyable now.

Posted by: jsg at October 07, 2017 01:40 PM (eQfsE)

27 never enough caffeine at October 07, 2017 01:30 PM

Good luck with your fall beans. Their quality may depend on the weather and the variety. Some cultivars are just not right for fall.

If they are tough or have a plastic-like membrane (it happened to me with one early variety in the fall), you may still be able to shell out the beans inside and eat them.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:41 PM (BVQ+1)

28 I looooooove pickled beets! YUM!

Posted by: Tami at October 07, 2017 01:41 PM (Enq6K)

29 Last week KT mentioned how nice sweet alyssum smells and I agreed. Now I'm becoming crazy for scent. It's in the same league as lilac which is a gift to our sense of smell. We don't do much with flowers but I can see a good amount of sweet alyssum in next year's garden.

Posted by: JTB at October 07, 2017 01:41 PM (V+03K)

30 Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:33 PM (BVQ+1)

"Invasive" is probably my Southern tendency towards exaggerating for dramatic effect!

But it does get everywhere, and I think it looks weedy when there's too much of it in one spot.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 07, 2017 01:41 PM (SAlss)

31 JTB at October 07, 2017 01:31 PM

I sort of felt that way, too. Heh.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:43 PM (BVQ+1)

32 14 I would like to know what is in Gordon's pickled beets. I have made them with different spices: ginger, allspice, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, among others.

And onions sometimes. Turns the onions pink.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:29 PM (BVQ+1)

I especially loooooove pickled beets with onions!

Posted by: Tami at October 07, 2017 01:43 PM (Enq6K)

33 @21 Well you can use it to temper the walnut-shell washwater.

We've had a nice run of tomatoes this year, and because wife got a nice new pressure cooker, we were ass-backward on usual practices. We canned all the early crop, just tasted a few. Yesterday I made my first tomato sauce of the year, and was shocked at how sweet it was. I'm trying to cipher out what in this year's weather could have caused that sugar concentration. Same soil, same general types of tomatoes I usually grow. And, I'm not complaining.

Time for my yearly reminder: if you have late tomatoes and peppers caught in an early frost, do not throw them away. Pick them within a day or two, and they will cook up into a sauce just as good as any fully ripe pickin's. Bonus, if the tomatoes are all still green, you will have a surprisingly colored sauce.

Posted by: Stringer Davis at October 07, 2017 01:43 PM (H5rtT)

34 I finally bought a 60" ZT this year and dumped the regular lawn tractor. It's night and day.

ZT?

Posted by: pep at October 07, 2017 01:44 PM (LAe3v)

35 Kindltot at October 07, 2017 01:32 PM

Don't know that I have ever had corn start to sprout on the cob.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:45 PM (BVQ+1)

36 Posted by: JTB at October 07, 2017 01:41 PM (V+03K)

I think alyssum smells like pee, but a lot of people think it smells like honey!

Scent in gardens is kind of my jam,as they say (along with four seasons of interest), so if you ever wanna yak, let me know. I can go on for hours on the topic. Several excellent books on the subject out there as well.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 07, 2017 01:46 PM (SAlss)

37 34 I finally bought a 60" ZT this year and dumped the regular lawn tractor. It's night and day.

ZT?

Posted by: pep at October 07, 2017 01:44 PM (LAe3v)

Zero Turn

Posted by: Tami at October 07, 2017 01:46 PM (Enq6K)

38 I really like the new pale yellow Cosmos. The first ones that came out only bloomed in the fall. They have now lengthened the season. I think they must be a hybrid with another species or something.

I also like the C. bipinnatus that are pink wih the darker center. Anybody like the striped ones? Or the ones with petals rolled up like little flutes?

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:48 PM (BVQ+1)

39

Trying to make us jealous?

+++

The fried cakes are awesome gotta say

Posted by: Bigby's Typing Hands at October 07, 2017 01:48 PM (z2W2E)

40 Sometimes it's best to be surprised . . . .
Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:38 PM (BVQ+1)

She has one spot between a treeline and a gravel walkway where she just threw some seed and covered it with a seed blanket. Whatever came up looks really good I have to admit, though I have no idea what is in there. Tall and colorful.

Posted by: jsg at October 07, 2017 01:48 PM (eQfsE)

41

1 - Used up a couple more Poblano chili peppers for lunch today. Quesadillas. I'll have to freeze the rest of my peppers, I can't keep up! And they freeze really well to be used in stews and chili's in the winter.

2 - For outdoor ideas, check out this site. Wonderful ideas. Bit late for those wrapping up for the winter months.

https://outdoorlivingtoday.com/blog/

Make sure you scroll down far enough to see the cute fence ideas too.

They sell their sheds and other outdoor structures online, but also you can find them at your local Home Depot and other stores. (I do not know I linked this site before...)

3 - And, lastly I've never tried them, but Pawpaw fruit is indigenous to North America and would love to try them. My brother was saying they are selling them now in the norther south carolina areas.

Pawpaw trees, the largest edible fruit trees native to North America, produce greenish-blackish fruit, usually three to six inches long. The flesh is pale to bright yellow and contains a network of glossy, dark brown seeds. A pawpaw's flavor is sunny, electric, and downright tropical: a riot of mango-banana-citrus that's incongruous with its temperate, deciduous forest origins. They also have a subtle kick of a yeasty, floral aftertaste a bit like unfiltered wheat beer. "The flavor of pawpaws is forceful and distinct," writes culinary historian Mark F. Sohn diplomatically in his encyclopedic book, Appalachian Home Cooking.

http://bit.ly/1tfX914

Alright, back to my weekend fun. Have a good one.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at October 07, 2017 01:49 PM (fceHP)

42 I love apple butter. Love it.

Haven't made any in years, but my grandma used to make hers outside in a huge kettle over open flames, just like you see at the link.

Thank you for that link, by the way, really enjoyed the article; what a lovely church!

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 07, 2017 01:50 PM (SAlss)

43 Illinwek, what do you do with your Indian corn? Posted by: Kindltot

no plans for mine ... had planted 5 year old sweet corn seed there and few came up, already had atrazine down so found old indian corn seed, it came up pretty well. Gets really tall, three ears on some stalks. I have a few in the house as decoration ... they dried on the stalk ok.

They'd make a nice Ocotber yard display ... take half a dozen whole stalks and peel the corn back so the color shows, stand them up teepee style. Maybe a couple pumpkins by them. But my house is a half mile off the road ... I didn't bother. lol

Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 01:50 PM (/aIFg)

44 Bonus, if the tomatoes are all still green, you will have a surprisingly colored sauce. Posted by: Stringer Davis at October 07, 2017 01:43 PM (H5rtT)
=====

Throw in a lot of basil and nobody will know the difference.

Posted by: mustbequantum at October 07, 2017 01:50 PM (MIKMs)

45 JTB at October 07, 2017 01:36 PM

Hope the competition spurs your lettuce on to great things.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:50 PM (BVQ+1)

46 Caligirl, I know folks--several different folks--who would cheerfully get that tractor running again.

KT, it is my wife's brine recipe. There are cloves involved. My job is to do quality control inspections. I do that a few times a month. So far I have found no problems.

Pep, I like the "get people together and can something" concept. I have a gal friend who does this with her larger family. One whole weekend of pickles and family. 132 quarts this year. I am thinking about this as a fellowship thing.

Posted by: Gordon at October 07, 2017 01:51 PM (lfApQ)

47 Pickling "beets" uhuh.

I can tell they are the still-beating hearts of SJWs that tired o tell Gordon his garden was in violation of EPA restrictions.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at October 07, 2017 01:52 PM (hMwEB)

48 18 Okay, I don't know who wrote that article on the 8 things done wrong every fall, but they have some damn nerve spying on our yard. What an accurate invasion of my privacy!
Posted by: JTB at October 07, 2017 01:31 PM (V+03K)

We are guilty of a lot of those too.

We dropped our wine grapes this year. My husband will disc them in the ground.

Short story, we have 4 acres and had them sold for 2000 a ton. There was mildew on the chard, like everyone else around here. The buyer then offered 500 a ton. My husband said no, he just sent a crew through the grapes and dropped them on the ground.

I think he will work them into the soil with an implement. I'm not sure if he has a disc for the tiny tractor or a ripper.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 01:52 PM (Ri/rl)

49 Had 2 more of 4 Anaheim peppers last night, these were mildly hot as opposed to the one had last week that was quite hot. All were totally red.
Tomatoes ard done but maybe more wax beens have to check today.

Posted by: Skip at October 07, 2017 01:52 PM (ghofu)

50 pep at October 07, 2017 01:37 PM

What a nice link!

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 01:53 PM (BVQ+1)

51 They'd make a nice Ocotber yard display ... take
half a dozen whole stalks and peel the corn back so the color shows,
stand them up teepee style. Maybe a couple pumpkins by them. But my
house is a half mile off the road ... I didn't bother. lol Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 01:50 PM (/aIFg)
=====

Just wanted to repeat my comment from the underlying thread. I have enough trouble dealing with library envy, which I can handle one day a week. Two days a week, adding in garden envy, is too much. I'm coming for ya, Illiniwek.

Posted by: mustbequantum at October 07, 2017 01:53 PM (MIKMs)

52
Eight things you do wrong. Well I flunked.

Lousy damp and cold early spring I delayed trimming shrubs. Finally got around to it the past couple of weeks. Apparently that's a no-no.

The only good thing about the lousy spring is that my tomatoes will probably be producing until first frost - due in about four weeks.

Some possible good news for people in SE Pennsylvania, I'm ordering a snow plow and chains for my tractor. Which should guarantee a snow-free winter. Or so much accumulation of snowfall that it can't handle it. Or the snowfall that starts at 9 pm as sleet, changes to freezing rain, then to snow after midnight, then back to freezing rain at dawn... the people from this area know the routine. You wake up to a nightmare of trying to budge the stuff and keep 9-11 on speed dial because it's heart attack stuff to shovel.

Posted by: Slippery Slope Salesman at October 07, 2017 01:53 PM (EgwCt)

53 I love apple butter. Love it.

Haven't made any in years, but my grandma used to make hers outside in a huge kettle over open flames, just like you see at the link.

Thank you for that link, by the way, really enjoyed the article; what a lovely church!
Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 07, 2017 01:50 PM (SAlss)

Apple butter and Maple Butter, yum yum

bye-bye

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at October 07, 2017 01:55 PM (fceHP)

54 Gordon,

My mechanic told me he can make it run. He has a book for the parts. I like it for a decoration. I need to find a better spot for it. I want to put a santa on it and some lights for Christmas. It needs to be closer to the entrance to the ranch.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 01:55 PM (Ri/rl)

55 First year for doing pickled beets, kind of faked the first batch using excess brine from one of Mrs Eez's batches of giardinara, so an ordinary sugar/salt/vinegar brine; the second time I got my recipe from :

tasteofsouthern.com

which is spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

Lots of onions in both cases !
A full slice top and bottom, with chopped onion throughout, 'cause I agree with Tami on that.

OT perhaps, but I went with tasteofsouthern because I used their Million Dollar Pickle Relish recipe back in cucumber season and it came out great !

Posted by: sock_rat_eez, we are being gaslighted 24/7 at October 07, 2017 01:56 PM (z3Hmr)

56 nice old tractor ... steel wheels even. I inherited an old Farmall M, which runs with a little work, but it's been sitting for years now.

Those Helenium on the left side of that pic were mowed with the tractor right down to the water, but they still came back and put out nice blooms. Really durable, and they out-compete the weeds. Painted ladies loved them too.

Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 01:56 PM (/aIFg)

57 Tammy al-Thor at October 07, 2017 01:41 PM

Too much of something in one spot is not the typical problem out here in the Southwest. Heh.

The hybrid "Sparkler" series is supposed to be shorter and bushier. But the F3 generation might not be. Swallowtail Seeds has germination advice for it and the older "Queen" series.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:00 PM (BVQ+1)

58 49 Had 2 more of 4 Anaheim peppers last night, these were mildly hot as opposed to the one had last week that was quite hot. All were totally red.
Tomatoes ard done but maybe more wax beens have to check today.
Posted by: Skip at October 07, 2017 01:52 PM (ghofu)

My husband loves anaheims. We grow them in summer. He BBQ's them, peels the skin. He eats them with salt.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 02:01 PM (Ri/rl)

59 Each year I say I'm going to can/freeze more of the harvest ... next year. I did freeze about 3 gallons of "picante sauce" this year.

There was an end of season sale on bird netting so I bought a bunch for next year since birds know just when the grapes are ripe. I bought a lifetime supply probably, but it is much cheaper (by the foot) to buy a big roll. There is a lot of "prepper" in me I suppose ... even though I don't expect to have to live off grid.

Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 02:02 PM (/aIFg)

60 If you can afford it, let him get that old tractor chugging again. It will make you happy to see it and drive it. It will give him great satisfaction. And you can paint it pink like your Gator. I suspect you would have the only pink Farmall ever.

Posted by: Gordon at October 07, 2017 02:04 PM (lfApQ)

61 Stringer Davis at October 07, 2017 01:43 PM

Thanks for the tips on canning immature tomatoes! What varieties of tomato did you can this year?

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:05 PM (BVQ+1)

62 Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 01:56 PM (/aIFg)

Great tractor. Dad had a Super M but sold it to my uncle and he wishes he hadn't now. Badass piece of machinery. Still has his H but I'd really like to get his JD B tractor. I'd use it just like CaliGirl does, as a decoration. I like the Santa Claus idea.

Posted by: jsg at October 07, 2017 02:05 PM (eQfsE)

63 Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 01:56 PM (/aIFg)

I love the old tractors. There's a group of guys that drive them in parades around here.
My husband was teasing me that I should have the mechanic fix the tractor and I can drive it in the Danish Days Parade.

I told him that would be cheating, the other guys do their own work.
I think I may be the only girl to ask about their tractors. They puff up with pride showing me their toys.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 02:06 PM (Ri/rl)

64 My grill is down so used a iron frying pan to blister the skin, stuffed with chess then broiled for a few minutes,

Posted by: Skip at October 07, 2017 02:07 PM (ghofu)

65 60 If you can afford it, let him get that old tractor chugging again. It will make you happy to see it and drive it. It will give him great satisfaction. And you can paint it pink like your Gator. I suspect you would have the only pink Farmall ever.
Posted by: Gordon at October 07, 2017 02:04 PM (lfApQ)

I wouldn't do that. The mechanic put a clear coat of something to protect it from rust. He asked me if I wanted it painted red and I told him no, I like it rustic.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 02:08 PM (Ri/rl)

66 jsg at October 07, 2017 01:48 PM

If you are afraid to ask your wife what they are, maybe you could send in a photo and we could try to identify them. Heh.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:10 PM (BVQ+1)

67 illiniwek, if you tie a couple of the husks together you can hang them over things. That is what I do and it both has the fluff of the loose husks and the exposed kernels.

Tying them together lets you dry them over a pole or the back of a kitchen chair as well.

The Indian corn can be ground to cornmeal, and it is very tasty. Tastier than the cornmeal I buy in the store.

I shell the corn when the ears are dry and store it in 2 liter soda bottles. When I want to grind some I throw it in a pan and parch it over high heat before grinding it.

I have a grinder attachment to my Kitchen-Aid. And I use it.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 07, 2017 02:12 PM (/f0LB)

68 artisanal 'ette at October 07, 2017 01:49 PM

Thanks for the multi-interest links and info.

We put some info on paw paws in a post last year, too.

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/365501.php

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:18 PM (BVQ+1)

69 Sort of a gardening topic.

Red Beet eggs.

I could eat them by the dozen, even though I can not stomach eating actual red beets.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 07, 2017 02:20 PM (EyPfd)

70 KT,

I like the pale yellow cosmos. The magenta ones are really nice too. I've never seen either of those.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 02:20 PM (Ri/rl)

71 KT I was irritated, it means it was ripe and drying when it rained. It also means it rained a lot.

I had some mildew the last couple of years because I pulled them in late and didn't get them dry fast enough. I was hoping they would dry on the cob in the garden.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 07, 2017 02:20 PM (/f0LB)

72 If you are afraid to ask your wife what they are, maybe you could send in a photo and we could try to identify them. Heh.
Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:10 PM (BVQ+1)

If I ask it's never a 5 minute conversation so I stopped heh. I'll see if I can get a couple of decent pics. I do know she planted 14 irises on the back end because I bought them for $25 at an auction and she didn't know what to do with them at the time. Other than that I got nothing.

Posted by: jsg at October 07, 2017 02:21 PM (eQfsE)

73 Skip at October 07, 2017 01:52 PM

Ripe peppers! Yay!

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:22 PM (BVQ+1)

74 My big moment of wonder this week was discovering white and pink hummingbird flowers where we've always had red. I didn't even know other colors existed. I'm guessing we were lucky enough to get cross-pollinated, because nobody planted anything that I know of.

Pretty neat to see something that has always been a favorite become even more favorite-ey because new colors appeared.

Posted by: Moron Robbie - Bama's Boot Stomping on the Face of College Football - Forever at October 07, 2017 02:24 PM (0jCTy)

75 another prepper thing I guess, but I bought a grinder that attaches easily to a drill, planning to grind grain for beer some day. I've made the (beer) kits but haven't done the whole grain thing yet ... another project.

Good idea on parching the corn first ... do you have a tool for shelling? It's not too hard by hand, but I guess there are handy tools out there.

If I found a good tool for black walnuts, I could fill up the pickup bed pretty quickly and have a nice supply. It was a special treat when the chocolate chip cookies had some walnut in them (Hillary stole that recipe, lol) But we had a concrete block in the basement to crack them slowly but surely. I'd need a machine.

Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 02:30 PM (/aIFg)

76 CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 02:20 PM

The magenta or burgundy ones look great with pink ones that have a megenta or burgundy ring around the eye.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:31 PM (BVQ+1)

77 Have loads more, pinched off all new sprouts and flowers as they have no chances to do much in a month. Weather has been in low 80's here this week so hoping it hold out as long as possible till first frost.

Posted by: Skip at October 07, 2017 02:31 PM (ghofu)

78 Sweet painted ladies, seems it's always been the same...

Posted by: JAS at October 07, 2017 02:32 PM (UnDQI)

79 At the brewery I was working at the last month they used on of those drill grinders, but were using it for peppercorns to put in the vat. They grind their grains in a good size grinder going through 50lb bags fairly quickly.

Posted by: Skip at October 07, 2017 02:34 PM (ghofu)

80
Pickled beets. Blech

Pawpaws are awesome.

My garden is done for the year except for the pumpkins.

Posted by: fixerupper at October 07, 2017 02:34 PM (vIjh1)

81 illiniwek at October 07, 2017 02:30 PM

I understand that someone invented a good gizmo for shelling black walnuts. See's Candy bought the rights and hoards the design.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:35 PM (BVQ+1)

82 As a child, one of my "jobs" was to weed the beets in our garden. I am still traumatized by the experience and combined with my gulag experiences of having to snap green beans into canning sized pieces it is no wonder that I only eat the meat and the desert. I can still do the occasional stalk of celery, if there is enough cream cheese. And a carrot or two, after a couple of days in a crockpot is fairly tasty. All beets must die!

Posted by: goon at October 07, 2017 02:35 PM (EaQ6/)

83 fixerupper at October 07, 2017 02:34 PM

From what I read, some paw paws are a lot more awesome than others, which taste like turpentine.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:37 PM (BVQ+1)

84 I shell the corn by hand, but there is this handy cast iron corn sheller that I have lusted for.

The only method I have heard of getting the shell off of black walnuts was the lady who would fill up gunnysacks and back the pickup over them

Posted by: Kindltot at October 07, 2017 02:37 PM (/f0LB)

85 Moron Robbie - Bama's Boot Stomping on the Face of College Football - Forever at October 07, 2017 02:24 PM

That's cool. Do you know what kind of flowers they are?

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:39 PM (BVQ+1)

86 goon at October 07, 2017 02:35 PM

And they weren't even fields of sugar beets? You must have been young to be so traumatized.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:40 PM (BVQ+1)

87 Kindltot at October 07, 2017 02:37 PM

I had an older friend here who had a rotary corn sheller. Really a fun looking gizmo.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:42 PM (BVQ+1)

88 which taste like turpentine.
Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:37 PM (BVQ+1)

---

You're not eating the skins are you?

Posted by: fixerupper at October 07, 2017 02:44 PM (vIjh1)

89 I can still remember riding on the hay wagons as they wound their way up through the hills to the upper barns and pastures, beneath the pawpaw trees. I was never given any pawpaw. They knew that I would spit it out, I suppose. The work horses would sweat so hard, and I sighed with them as they paused to drink as we crossed the crystal clear streams on the way to the high country. Those huge beasts leaned against me so hard, in their stalls, as I curried them in the sweet warmth of their stalls.

Posted by: goon at October 07, 2017 02:46 PM (EaQ6/)

90 fixerupper at October 07, 2017 02:44 PM

We don't have paw paws out here. But I understand that some of the wild ones do not taste very good while others are wonderful. Kind of like with apples.

I guess there is a lot of flavor variation even in the named varieties.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:47 PM (BVQ+1)

91 That's cool. Do you know what kind of flowers they are?

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 02:39 PM (BVQ+1)

---

I've always known them as hummingbird vines, but I'm told some people call them cypress vines.

Posted by: Moron Robbie - Bama's Boot Stomping on the Face of College Football - Forever at October 07, 2017 02:49 PM (0jCTy)

92 The only method I have heard of getting the
shell off of black walnuts was the lady who would fill up gunnysacks and
back the pickup over them Posted by: Kindltot

ha ... yes, I have three walnut trees right on the lane ... I've been driving over them for a couple weeks now. Cracking them and digging out the nuts is another thing. It's too easy to just buy a bag at the store, but I think these taste better than store bought.

and yeah, wearing gloves is a necessity or the stain is hard to remove.

Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 02:51 PM (/aIFg)

93 We harvested 21 Long Island winter squash yesterday, cleaned them off and stashed them in the root cellar. The spinach and lettuce in our 2 cold frames are growing nicely, we will have fresh into March. Finally got 1/2 inch over night so we will let the on the pintos dry be for picking and shelling, Stil getting lots of tomates, sweet red peppers, chrd, along with kale and cabbage.. Onions, garlic, and potatoes will be brought soon. After that carros and golden beets will come in. More canning to do and will pickle jalapenos stuffed with xour kraur. Busy time of year.

I wish everyone bounty, beautiful sunsets, thunderstorm, sunny days, a satisfied mind. Prayers for all you are in need of assistance. God bless America and about 60% of all who live in the greatest country in human history.

Posted by: colfax mingo at October 07, 2017 02:51 PM (0n18S)

94 That's a great looking tractor picture! Need to plant some flowers around there, and maybe a nice brick border. I would chain it down too. Pukes will steal anything these days.

Posted by: goon at October 07, 2017 02:53 PM (EaQ6/)

95 Beet me!

Posted by: andycanuck at October 07, 2017 02:54 PM (mJ8mX)

96 That pond picture is right near the edge of "make'em paranoid". That kind of idyllic setting is where A) monsters lurk, or B) it's a damn ambush. Let's just stick to close-up photo's, okay?! I'd rather see more pictures of beets or corn than anything quite so outdoorsy, please.

Posted by: goon at October 07, 2017 02:58 PM (EaQ6/)

97 colfax mingo at October 07, 2017 02:51 PM

Wow! 21 Long Island Cheese squashes? Or a different one?

Cold frames . . . root cellar . . .You're set up!

Thanks for the nice post. Best wishes.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 03:06 PM (BVQ+1)

98 back behind the pond in that pic are a lot of downed trees ... storms made a real mess of the woods. But I can picture just the idyllic spots.

Oh, and the thorned type of honey locust come up everywhere, every year. I need to do a lot more hikes with 2-4d in my backpack sprayer. But its a good challenge.

Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 03:08 PM (/aIFg)

99 goon at October 07, 2017 02:58 PM

Careful what you ask for. Halloween's coming.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 03:09 PM (BVQ+1)

100 Dang! I fell asleep.

Tammy, if you could suggest some book titles about scented flowers, I would appreciate it.

Posted by: JTB at October 07, 2017 03:29 PM (V+03K)

101 oh, my snow peas are up about 2", weeds sprayed before they came up are dying. It will be luck to get some peas ... think I'll go with one big sheet of solid plastic to hold more heat. Just 4 posts with a wire around, maybe some tomato cages in the middle for support.

I planted maybe 1000 in about a 5' x 20' area.
Nice to have something coming along, instead of everything dying off or going dormant.

Posted by: illiniwek at October 07, 2017 04:13 PM (/aIFg)

102 Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 07, 2017 02:20 PM (EyPfd)

Our folks used to serve us the pickled eggs at harvest time. Got us to eat healthy for once.

Pawpaws are awesome.
If this is the same as soursop, supposed to have anti-cancer properties.

Posted by: kallisto at October 07, 2017 04:18 PM (kD8Fh)

103 I finally ate a strawberry from my miniscule garden. Yesterday I noticed a perfectly formed little fruit, it was so cute! It looked a day or two from being completely ripe, but I figured it was a miracle the bunnies hadn't gotten to it already. So I picked it. So delicious. Next year I'm going to really cultivate those plants and commit to keeping the critters off them. Or maybe I'll pick a few to share with them.

The 8 things to do in fall will come in handy although I may have already broken one of the rules. A couple weeks ago I pruned the Japanese maple in my front yard. Those things are so finicky anyway, I hope I didn't traumatize it.

Also discovered some lily of the valley pips that I didn't plant in spring. I'm going to put them in the ground now and see what happens.

Posted by: kallisto at October 07, 2017 04:23 PM (kD8Fh)

104 Some of my strawberry plants are Alpine White. They're really thin and small. They taste kind of like kiwis. The one I picked yesterday though was a regular red one.

Posted by: kallisto at October 07, 2017 04:25 PM (kD8Fh)

105 Soursop is a tropical fruit, related to cherimoya. It is sometimes called "Brazilian paw paw". The seeds contain a neurotoxin. So does the fruit, in small amounts.

Paw Paws can grow pretty far north into the USA.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 04:29 PM (BVQ+1)

106
Wolff's Apple House in Media, PA has a vintage tractor that welcomes the public to the farm market. Here is one of their autumn displays:

http://tinyurl.com/y9n9mj6n

Posted by: kallisto at October 07, 2017 04:29 PM (kD8Fh)

107 kallisto at October 07, 2017 04:25 PM

Sounds tasty. Let us know how you do with critter control.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 04:31 PM (BVQ+1)

108 We brought in the deck chair cushions and took down the gazebo's canvas cover yesterday. Just in time, 'cause it rained last night!

Windy today, but maybe the grass is dry enough to mow. Probably won't need it but a time or two more before frost comes.

Still time for outdoor chores, maybe a month of not-too-bad weather left...

Cool and breezy now
Summer days are over with
Curl up by the fire

Posted by: JQ at October 07, 2017 04:36 PM (yD/Pf)

109 KT,

Thank you for the thread as always.

Hot your way? I've been in the house, flu, I went outside and it's about 98 out there. I should be outside it's so beautiful.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 04:50 PM (Ri/rl)

110 Brought in another pepper 1/2 turned and a pot of wax beans,
Also cleaned the gutters as rain coming tomorrow

Posted by: Skip at October 07, 2017 05:14 PM (ghofu)

111 You've put up some beets! Bravo! They are one of my favorite veggies.

You might try putting them up Sous Vide. It's much easier than canning, and you get all the delicious goodness of beet flavor without losing it into the canning juices.

From the garden, clean them, peel them, and then cut 'em up how you like. Vac-seal them into serving size packets with your favorite seasoning and no added water. For me it's butter, a little salt, and sometimes just a bit of balsamic vinegar.

Cook them Sous Vide for around 90 minutes at 180F, then cool. You can serve right away, or throw the cooked packages in the freezer for later consumption. The beets provide their own liquid this way, and are simply delicious with a wonderful texture.

Posted by: DaveK at October 07, 2017 06:59 PM (j32vh)

112 CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 04:50 PM

It's been kind of hot in the afternoons, but cooling off at night.

Sorry about the flu. Hubby's been sick with something like the flu, too. Just got over it a couple of days ago.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 07:15 PM (BVQ+1)

113 DaveK at October 07, 2017 06:59 PM

Been hearing more about that sous vide cooking. Sounds well-adapted to beets.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 07:18 PM (BVQ+1)

114 Sorry about the flu. Hubby's been sick with something like the flu, too. Just got over it a couple of days ago.
Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 07:15 PM (BVQ+1)

Someone told me I am sick from the change in the weather.
Old wives tale I think.
It was 37 in the morning here last week.

Where's Pat's report? I look forward to it every week.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 07, 2017 08:18 PM (Ri/rl)

115 Back in Texas I grew and pickled jalapenos. I'd plant 11 "Aggie Mild" jalapeno plants and one hot plant, then pickled them all together, making sure at least one hot jalapeno was in each jar. The Aggie peppers obtained some heat in the pickling but we're not fiery hot. However, when I realized that it was a game of jalapeno roulette, never knowing when you'd get a hot one, I started to differnentiate the peppers by cutting the top off the hot ones.

Posted by: Cumberland Astro at October 07, 2017 08:27 PM (cEKqm)

116 Hi all , late to the thread as I had to work today. Thanks for all you contribute KT and all.

I've been gardening since I was ca. 14 and am still learning, appreciate the knowledge shared here.

Still getting tomatoes, lettuce, beans and cukes in N IL. First good rain since early Aug. today.

Be well all.

Posted by: Farmer - 2017 GNAMM Survivor at October 07, 2017 08:33 PM (yJ1e6)

117 KT try adding a couple of Juniper berries to the pickled beet brine. I use pretty much the same sweet/sour brine for everything, except dill pickles, of course!

I spent a pleasant afternoon putzing around in the veggie garden, thinning seedlings, lifting gladdies, planting more garlic, tucking/weaving rose canes into the fence and harvesting olives. I hopped into the hammock and sipped a Sierra Nevada whilst scritching the cat's ears...best time of the year.

Do make yourself a spot to sit and relax in your veg garden...it's a completely different experience than the rest of the garden.

Posted by: Shanks for the memory at October 07, 2017 08:56 PM (TdCQk)

118 erratum:

The outstanding sweet pickle relish recipe was at:

deepsouthdish.com

oops !

"Do make yourself a spot to sit and relax in your veg garden...it's a completely different experience than the rest of the garden. "

I want to endorse this wholeheartedly ...

Posted by: sock_rat_eez, we are being gaslighted 24/7 at October 07, 2017 10:01 PM (z3Hmr)

119 Cumberland Astro at October 07, 2017 08:27 PM

Pepper roulette. I've experienced that even with salad at a Mexican restaurant. Heh.

Good idea, cutting off the tops of the hot ones.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 10:15 PM (BVQ+1)

120 Thanks, Farmer.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 10:16 PM (BVQ+1)

121 Shanks for the memory at October 07, 2017 08:56 PM

You have more going on in your garden than I realized. Got climbing roses?

Late father-in-law planted a tree in his veggie garden just to have a place to sit and relax. Great suggestion.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 10:19 PM (BVQ+1)

122 sock_rat_eez, we are being gaslighted 24/7 at October 07, 2017 10:01 PM

Thanks for the relish recipe link.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 10:20 PM (BVQ+1)

123 Juniper berries in pickled beets? I thought juniper berries were for gin.

Posted by: KT at October 07, 2017 10:20 PM (BVQ+1)

124 To the dust I went, and from the dust I have returned... (We spent the day at the Parma gun range, helping a friend run a Project Appleseed event.) Sorry to those who have been waiting patiently for the Treasure Valley of Idaho report!

First thing this week was helping out a neighbor last Sunday, working on whacking down a 20+ year old juniper bush by our mutual property line. We got 1/3 to 1/2 way through it. No telling whether we'll find a lost civilization or mystic gateway somewhere further into that jungle.

We did already have one frost - the earliest since I've moved to Idaho - on Oct. 2nd/3rd. The cantaloupe vine is dead and we're waiting to see if any of the remaining fruits will ripen before they rot. The Roma tomato vines are also dead - I pulled off any fruit with a blush, we piled it on the sunny kitchen table to see what happens, and I'll freeze anything that ripens. We also clipped off all the bell peppers (quite a few) and all the jalapenos (ditto) and brought them in. A harder frost/freeze is predicted for Sunday night. To try to allow the poblanos more growing time, we will come home from the range tomorrow, and put on our homemade row cover (in the dark if necessary).

You know those one pound salad containers? We have 2 of them filled with Romas, 3 with bell peppers, and 2 with jalapenos, that we still have to process this coming week!

We harvested the first radishes - I can take all of those in if their tops wither. Still watching the carrots; at worst I'll get some baby carrots. One of those Rodale links said to leave your spinach in place over winter, so I may mark the 3 plants that came up and see what happens next spring. Lettuce and shelling peas... not happening.

Our new project is the right-angle area behind the kitchen. We got the hose off the ground by putting a hose hanger on the wall. (Pretty soon we'll be draining it and hanging it in the shed - but it's the principle of the thing.) The area's curved outer edge has 3 of our purple Siberian Iris, and it had 2 circles of Holland Tulip Festival tulips from Michigan inside the area. We decided to expand the plantings, so...

Next spring, we plan a red penstemon in the center to attract hummingbirds. Three shades of bronze chrysanthemums just got planted down the left side. I dumped out 3 pots of tulips... and only got back about 10 good bulbs, which got their own circle. There's already a circle of blue and white hyacinths at the back side. We have a bag of King Alfred daffodils to plant this week, between the circles of tulips. So this will give us spring color with the hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils - iris in early summer - penstemon all summer/fall - and mums in the fall. Should be nice. (Once we get done, we can put back the "wind horse". It's just a post, with a horse-shaped ornament on top, and markers for the 4 compass directions. I call it a wind horse, because I tied red flagging tape onto the 4 compass direction letters so I could watch the wind blow them around - and because in Tibet, the words for the prayer flags, "lung ma", translate to "wind horse".)

Posted by: Pat* at October 07, 2017 11:22 PM (3etCS)

125 Thanks for the great report, Pat*. Let us know if the cantaloupes actually ripen a bit more.

Posted by: KT at October 08, 2017 09:49 AM (BVQ+1)

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