It is cold...but my brain is on fire!

So it may be too cold outside to do much, but inside I am gardening! I just grew my first harvest of sprouts and used them in some smoothies, and my indoor garlic has come up! Can't wait for some cuttings of these shoots. I also just finished writing my first column called Locavore Living for the Blue Ridge Leader, in Purcellville, VA. My first article was on growing an indoor garden, and my next idea is to talk about the Power of Greens. I am still harvesting turnips, kale, curly greens, tatsoi greens, and seven top turnips. I am also pouring over seed catalogs with ideas for next year! I even have a tentative garden plan....I am keeping things simple, but just growing more of what I love. Last year I did abit of everything, but time to grow lots more of what we love! I considered not growing Okra, but just got some very cross eyes from my mother-in-law, ok- it is back in the plan! Ok- gotta go!

Random Garden Photos

Sweet Potatoes Dehydrating

Peanuts from GCF drying

Swiss Chard Harvested in late October

Gorgeous turnips from Potomac Veggie Farms

Lettuce harvest in October

Winter Garden

Southern Curly Greens

Seven Top Turnips

Kale

Tatsoi Greens

It may not look like much, but I have four kinds of greens here and they are satisfying my family's need for greens this fall/winter.

It is Mid November and look at my harvest!

Since I worked from home I could actually see my garden! Check out my harvest, YUM! I have turnips, and all types of lettuce here, all ready to go into my daily green smoothies- green never tasted so good.

GARDEN UPDATES - Mid November

Would you believe I am just as busy now as I was in the spring? Well I am! Here is that I am working on:

• collecting as many leaves as I can for me new beds, and covering up my winter hardy plants
• digging new beds with a borrowed MANTIS tiller (it rocks!)
• searching on Craig's list for free manure and spreading on beds
• buying winter seeds- micro greens, sprouts, and some veggies for inside
• preserving my greens: dehydrating, freezing etc.
• mixing soil for indoor garden
• cleaning up garden - putting things away- pulling out dead plants etc.
• burning braches around property
• moving worm bins inside garage
• preserving harvested apples
• protecting my 'greens' from icky green worms (hand squishing them)
• reading seed catalogs for next year!
• planting garlic and onions
  

So as you see, lots to do with little daylight to do it.

Garlic Listing....

Ok, drum roll please.... Here are the garlic varieties I planted:

1. Broadleaf Czech


2. Chet's Italian Red


3. Chrysalis Purple


4. Tochliaviri


5. Georgian Crystal


6. Samarkand (Persian Star)


7. Shvelisi (Chesnok Red)


8. German Extra Hardy


9. Elephant Garlic


10. Russian Giant

I planted 1-7 in the bed in the garden, and 8-10 and the second bulbs within the pool area. YUMMY!!! Sleep well my cloves, see you soon! (got my sampler from www.seedsavers.org)

Garlic, garlic, garlic!

So just a quick note that I finally got my garlic in for the winter. I planted over 11 varieties so should be a fun July next year.... I prepared the beds with 3-year old manure from George's farm and then I plan to blanket them with leaves and maybe hay. Fingers crossed that none of them get 'stolen' by the squirrels. I really am not sure if they like eating garlic bulbs - hopefully the smell will keep them away!

I will list out the varieties later, but they sure are interesting!