The weather has cooled down considerably and I am really starting to be able to see how practical certain plants are for creating food with the short days and cold frosty nights. As it turns out the short days are the killer, things dramatically slow their growing time. Everything seems frozen, the progress to small to see. I am going to have to figure out a new crop or some sort of creative growing solution for the next three months before the spring starts and everything starts growing like bananas.
I am presently surprised to find that as of now we are still eating out of the garden everyday. At times it has taken some creative dishes, and rationing but of the first winter trying to grow my own food it is pretty good. Here are some of the ways you can be creative and stretch your winter garden out.
Winter squash rock! I was thinking this summer that next year I would not grow them because they cross pollinated with my summer squash and gave some of their skins a bad, tough texture. I didn't eat any of them and stored them to see how I felt about them in the winter. I love them.
They are still super fresh, I have been making soups and baking them. They are so versatile and are wonderful tasting. People have been growing them to consume in the winter forever, it feels good to do the same. To feel their shadow fall across your shoulders. The really helps with providing food during the winter months.
Winter greens, broccoli leaves, beets and potatoes.
The collard greens seem to grow fine in the cold, as well as the broccoli. We are in between broccoli harvest so I tried sautéing the greens from the plant. It worked and tasted great! The potatoes and beets are being stored by the soil so I harvest them as needed. They are providing a bounty of winter veggies between them. Yay garden!
The quail are back to laying thanks to their new heat lamp. I am thrilled, I really missed their eggs. They are so tasty and nutritious.
So amazing your eating out of the garden still. My aim is to do this but I am a long way off. Not only in the veg but my culinary skills also. Can make a good soup though!
Being good at gardening and cooking just takes practice. If someone is good at it, it means they like it enough to work at it consistently for a extended period of time. Soup is my favorite! Keep cooking and gardening :)
Thanks. I can must many dishes but need to work on the seasonal veg. My aim for this year !
Brrr..stay warm you guys! ..and happy holidays! :)
It is so cold! You stay warm too @scalerman, Merry Christmas!
Very good vegetables are available in winter gardens.
Yes it is true, surprising how much you can eat from home.
Yeah!
Yes... one of my top goals too
Its the dream! Thanks for reading @goldendawne, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you too!
I have such dreams of self-sustainability
I like snowy gardens and snowy, cold airs. Mostly in these weather pictures are drawn. Your posing and your naturalness are great! Is there anything other than this kind of photography?
Thanks, hope you have a good day.
Just curious how much time you spend looking after the homestead (per day). I'm happy that you have some food stores for the winter, hopefully they will last until the spring :)
In the winter not a whole lot of time, weeds don't grow and I don't need to water so 45min to take care of the animals and one project to keep up on the garden. In the spring and summer it is more like 2-3 hours unless I am installing.
They wont last, I am figuring out some new ideas :) Thanks for reading Adrian!
I imagined it took more work, that's pretty cool. I'm curious what innovating solutions you will find to grow plants in winter :)
Hi ren! Looks like you have an amazing sustainable garden, props to you on the beautiful winter squash! Maybe I should work on my gardening skills next summer :P I usually manage a few basil, rosemary, and some thyme only! But I loveeee that sweet basil.
I love sweet basil too! So good, growing your own herbs is awesome. They are so much better than store bought. I hope to see some plant post from you next year! Merry Christmas @polebird! Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blogs.
Definitely will be trying to work on that green thumb, I have a little bit of a cutting garden as well, but due to the hot summer it didn’t fare too well! Merry Christmas!
Gorgeous photos! I too find we are eating hardy greens, winter squash and sweet potatoes! It's so nourishing to eat things you grow and store! Ah! Well done :)
It is nourishing for the mind and the body to provide for yourself. Thanks for reading and being excited about gardens with me!
Beautiful post!
Great to see you still tending the land and that your Steemit posts are continuing to evolve!
I just made a post with you in it yesterday ;-)>
Bless~*~
Thank you so much Quinn!
The land has been so good to me, earth is the ultimate provider. Thank you for noticing all the changes I have been working on to improve my content :)
Missing you guys! Hope everyone is healthy and smiling. Sending my love.
Oh yes observation is one of my specialties ;-)>
Your doing a great job and I expect will only continue to improve!
Yes the land provides everything we need much better than the factories do. Living in harmony with nature provides a very good life.
Bless it be~*~
yum that looks amazing!
Thanks! Hope you are having a wonderful day Karen! Looking forward to your next Dtube video!
its up! :)
Jeez I wish I could download your knowledge into my brain- so much of gardening intimidates me- but TOTALLY a life skill I want to develop
It is just practice as all things, I let the frost kill 5 of my plants this week. One of my favorite ones I got from the fair. My first year was kind of sad, lol. I am sure there is a beautiful garden in your life at some point. I think you would be really good at it. You are a good observer, that is the most important part of gardening.
Aww thank you for your faith and yours will be 10x better next year from all you’ve learned! My biggest problem is I’m SO impatient- but I know I’d love having that time every day to tend and work on it - some relaxing tactile time 💕