The garden is down for the winter. It closed at the beginning of the month. It's so unceremonious--tearing up the twine, clipping plants at the soil line, piling it all up and bagging it to take away. I take so much care in spring to ready the bed, lay out the squares, plant each seed. It's different at the end. Somehow, that unceremoniousness makes me long for a big harvest festival, or a way to thank the garden and the earth for all it produced. Something a little more than clip-pile-bag.
Another thing to add to my list of homesteading wishes--garden beds that aren't held to someone else's timeline. I can go for that second planting of peas or lettuce. I can really plan out overwintering the garlic or onions. Someday; on my future homestead.
I've really been dreaming of that future homestead lately. Planning the layout of the beds, the compost piles, the flower gardens, the fruit and nut trees, the greenhouse, the room for wine and beer making, the soap workshop area, the chickens and, someday, the mini-cow. At this point, it's still better to dream and save and wait--and think of how lucky I am that I can even have a plot of soil in the city.
I've really been dreaming of that future homestead lately. Planning the layout of the beds, the compost piles, the flower gardens, the fruit and nut trees, the greenhouse, the room for wine and beer making, the soap workshop area, the chickens and, someday, the mini-cow. At this point, it's still better to dream and save and wait--and think of how lucky I am that I can even have a plot of soil in the city.
Anyway, before the unceremonious end of the garden, I pulled out the last of the carrots and all the parsnips. My root crops did great this year. A few of the forgotten carrots became monsters. This was my first time growing parsnips, and they turned out well. A few were tiny, at least one was giant and split, and most were just right.
I also pulled all the herbs and dried them on the dehydrator. Plenty of sage, oregano, parsley, and chives to share. I had just enough thyme to save and dry too. I find myself marveling at the ziploc bags stuffed full of dried herbs, and the price I paid for tiny little jars of dried herbs in the store. Then I imagine the herb wheel I'll plant in my someday homestead….
This snow has me thinking of Christmas. With the garden down for the year, I'll be working more on indoor projects, including a lot of handmade gifts. Ornaments, jams, soap, lotions; I'll try to share more on here as they happen.
In the meantime, I'll keep dreaming about my homestead….
This snow has me thinking of Christmas. With the garden down for the year, I'll be working more on indoor projects, including a lot of handmade gifts. Ornaments, jams, soap, lotions; I'll try to share more on here as they happen.
In the meantime, I'll keep dreaming about my homestead….
