Garden Harvest

Well, things have been a little frustrating around here because there is so much to do, and I find it difficult to do anything. Silje has been throwing up most of the morning, and Elias seems to be into everything at all times. So today, Knut did me a huge favor, and drove the pick up down to the garden and brought in all the squash, pumpkins, and beets before the hard frost tonight.

What a harvest this year!

Last year I planted squash and pumpkin and the squash died after the vine got about 5 feet long, (too late to replant) and the pumpkin vine yielded about 3 pumpkins. I was trying to count them in the garden this year, and after many counts got 17 or 18 pumpkins. But now that they are out of the garden we know for sure: there are 19. About all of them are perfect shaped carving pumpkins. I’m hoping to make pumpkin butter out of the not so perfect shaped ones. I’m not planning on carving all of them, and will probably give some away to my in-laws. If anyone else is interested in a couple and live near us, give me a call and we might have some left!

We might be able to throw some squash into the deal too! I’m planning on roasting and freezing most of this. I’m now imagining all the yummy soups we’ll have this winter! I learned from Rachel Ray that baked macaroni and cheese is really good with squash in it too.

Knut also pulled the apples off the tree. (Well, his dad helped there!) These are just the last of the baking apples. (There is another bucket full under the box, that the picture doesn’t show.) I’ve already made more than 20 jars of either applesauce or apple butter. I’ll take most of this and make some apple pie fillings to freeze, and probably a lot more applesauce that some of you might be getting for Christmas this year. 😉

Our eating apple harvest isn’t so overwhelming this year. Compared to last year, it’s meager. Just 2 huge buckets.

O, and the beets. I found out this year that you can freeze beets too. You cook and peel them, and then you slip them into freezer bags, either sliced or whole. These got so huge this year! This is one of Silje’s favorite vegetables. (Because it’s pink…of course!)

It’s times like this that I really debate getting a pressure cooker. I’m running out of room in my freezer, and it really would be good to can instead of freeze some of this. One of these days I’m going to splurge and get a really big pressure cooker so I can can vegetables. Maybe next year… I seriously don’t know when I’m going to get to this all! Anyone want to watch my kids for like, a week?