The weather last week was just fabulous, the first half was warm and gorgeous, the 2nd half was cold but calm, also lovely (as long as one is bundled up), as a result I was able to get quite a lot of outdoor chores completed.
Put up the deer fences, cleaned up the annual beds, finished pruning the shrubs and trees that needed pruning, raked the leaves, weeded, mulched … am pleased with me. My gardens are ready for winter.
Leeks, beets, parsnips, celeriac and carrots are mulched with a thick layer of leaves which will protect them and I can harvest as needed throughout the winter, garlic beds also got mulched.
Harvest of the week included
Lutz Beets
Pulled 2 lutz beets on Monday to make borscht, but never got around to making it.
Decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather to get the outdoor chores completed so just pulled meals from the freezer. Beet roots are in storage but I did stir fry the greens with garlic and ginger for a side.
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Leek, Beedy’s Camden Kale, Carrots (direct sow) & Parsley
All the above harvest was for a bean soup, but again never got around to it and they are in the fridge, hopefully I will make the bean soup this week.
The Beedy’s Camden kale is from seeds gifted to me a few years ago by Dave, Our Happy Acres. Was surprised the seeds were still viable.
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Decided to put my window boxes to bed for the winter. Below 2 photos are harvests from the window boxes.
Window Box Spinach
From Window Box, left: Bok choy; right: Shanghai Bok Choy
The spinach and bok choys are in the fridge for now.
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Had to feature the following parsnip from LGHVG
Hollow Crown Parsnip. Left: from my home garden. Right: from LGHVG
Last Thursday during our morning work session at LGHVG, I was assigned the task of digging up the root crops for that evening Locust Grove Sunset Sensations. Imagine my excitement when I dug up the above parsnip (without breaking it).
The parsnip, on the right, from LGHVG, measured 20 inches in length, 11½ inches in circumference and weighed about 1½ pounds. The parsnip on the left is the same variety, hollow crown, from my garden and is the normal size we see in the food market.
Cross sections of Parsnip from LGHVG
After the excitement, the question we asked the horticulturists was: Is it woody? That was also the question the audience at Sunset Sensations asked.
The answer is: No.
The whole root was tender and edible.
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Will be MIA for a while.
Having a few sets of out-of-town guests. First set arriving this week. But before anyone arrives I need to finish unpacking the kitchen items that are still in boxes and bags. Yes, my kitchen reno was completed 3 months ago, I unpacked the essentials but never got around to unpacking the rest.
Also there are a number of chores that I have been putting off until “tomorrow” that can no longer wait until “tomorrow”. Will try to get to them in between guests. There is no garden to tend to and no blog post for a while, I really have no excuse for not completing them. The truth is those are chores that I hate reason they are still on the tomorrow’s list, but will try real hard to get them completed before the end of the year.
Happy Holidays! I will be back soon.
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Garden to Wok 
This year I didn’t grow any spinach and just got myself a huge bag and am going to make a soup with them. The parsnip from LGHVG is a GIANT!
Enjoy your week, Norma!
Angie
Hello Angie,
Not only is it a giant, it was delicious and not woody, amazing. Have a delightful week.
That is an amazing parsnip. I wish my parsnips were like that. Sadly most were pretty small.
Hello Daphne,
I too wish my parsnips were like the one from LGHVG, as the photo shows mine are nowhere near that size.
I, too, had things I never got around to fixing. We didn’t go to the farm last week because…the farmer thought it was TOO COLD!!! I had seen a lot of rutabaga and turnips that I wish I had now. Oh well, maybe in a few weeks it will warm up and we can work again!!!
Hello Wishfulthinking,
Once the arctic cold passes through, I am sure we will have some warm days.
My, you have been busy……and that is one huge parsnip! I love it when I get a ton done in the garden – nothing beats that feeling of accomplishment. This year I felt like I was behind on my chores practically the entire season. I’m hoping to do much better next year.
I so love the garden, but it really does eat up a lot of time and energy. One reason I enjoy the winter months is that it gives me a chance to switch gears and catch up on all the non-garden related stuff. Hope that you get everything on your list done & have a wonderful holiday season!
Hello Margaret,
This is one of the rare times that I was able to get so much done before the really cold weather sets in.
I hope so too. A wonderful holiday season to you also.
I’m glad that kale grew for you! My seeds are still viable too. I think I might get one more year out of them. That is one big parsnip too. I’ve never grown them before.
Hello Dave,
I think my kale seeds will be still viable next year, thanks. Parsnips are very easy to grow and I am sure they will do well for you.
LGHVG must have some amazing soil to grow a parsnip like that! It’s interesting that you put up deer fences for the winter, I need it all year.
Hello Michelle,
The soil at LGHVG is very rich and loamy, we all wish we could transport some to our gardens. My veg garden fence is up year round, my winter fences is to protect my ornamentals that the deer leave alone during the year but munch on during the winter months.
Enjoy time with your company, Norma! Your spinach is vibrant green. Love all those vitamins bursting from those leaves!
Hello Sandra,
Thanks, I will. I am going to miss garden fresh greens.
Enjoy the time with your guests. That parsnip certainly is impressive and I’m glad it wasn’t woody. You have enough there for a parsnip soup. You sound super-organised for the winter and it’s great you were able to accomplish so much with the mild weather xx
Hello Charlie,
Thanks, I will. You read my mind, I am going to make parsnip soup. Glad I was able to get a lot accomplished last week, this week is going to be brutally cold.
Hi Norma, your spinach looks wonderful, and it sounds like your ready for winter, have a great time with your guests.
Hello Cheri,
Thanks. Got my gardens in order just in time, we are experiencing the arctic freeze, it is brutally cold and will be for the remainder of the week.
Hi Norma! What are you going to do with that massive parsnip? Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoy your company 🙂
Hello Alyssa,
I am going to make soup. We are experiencing the arctic freeze and soup will hit the right spot. Happy holidays to you and your family too.
I hate those chores that always get put back. After putting them off for a while I have to force myself. That’s quite a parsnip!
Hello Maureen,
I am going to force myself to get into the groove and take care of my “tomorrow” list.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy visiting with your guests. Good luck on the chores, they will be done before you know it and then you’ll have that good feeling that they are done. 🙂
Hello Kristy,
Thanks for the encouragement, I needed it. A wonderful Thanksgiving to you and your family too.
Your spinach looks so amazing. And your carrots and beets do as well. I can definitely turn that into an amazing soup. I hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving Ms. Norma 🙂
Hello Kay,
Arctic blast has arrived definitely soup weather.
feeling healtier just by reading this veggies post….
Hello Dedy,
Glad to know that, stay healthy always.
btw, i start growing my own micro herbs now, wish me luck Norma….
Hello Dedy,
So sorry for the long delay in responding to your comment, was under the weather but am now back online. Good luck with your micro herbs, do keep me updated on the results.
Yu, i used it as a topping on few of my new recipe
Hello Dedy,
Congratulations, I will certainly be taking a closer look at your dishes from now on for your micro greens harvest.
Those greens! Those baby Spinach and Bok Choy! Million dollar treasure 🙂 You are such a positive soul, Norma! A beautiful inspiration. God bless you more and more in every moment of your life. Long live your Garden!
Hello Nusrat,
Thanks, I try to be positive and little things make me happy.
Wonderful post! I have always loved root veggies, especially beets and turnips. 🙂
Hello Linda,
Thanks. The beauty of both beets and turnips is the whole plant, root and leaves are edible, no waste.
Your garden certainly did well this year and I’m sure it was put to bed with love. I find it amazing that you can harvest root vegetables throughout the winter. The ground in my New Hampshire garden will be covered with feet of snow and the ground frozen solid until spring.
Hello Karen,
Yes, my garden did well this year. I have to mulch my root vegetables with a thick layer of leaves before the ground freezes to keep them “warm”. Actually they do better if covered with snow the entire winter (like last winter, the snow acts as an insulator and I harvest leeks and parsnips in April from the previous year’s planting). The problem is I will no be able to open the garden gate until the snow melts.
Now I understand…your garden is just like mine. My garden gate can’t be opened either. It usually has three or four feet of snow keeping it from swinging open.
I’ve been trying my best to enjoy beets but I just can’t seem to do it. Do you have any suggestions on delicious recipes using beets, Norma?
Hello Angela,
Try making pickled beets, I think you will like it pickled using one of your favorite pickle recipes. I like it with rice vinegar, a bit of salt and sugar, simple but tasty. Roast or boil the unpeeled beets until soft, cool and peel. Cut into slices or chunks and combine with pickling ingredients.
OMG I love the beets…they are sure huge…enjoy the Monday harvest Norma…since you are going MIA…have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Hello Juliana,
Those are lutz beets, they get quite large but are still tender and sweet. A wonderful Thanksgiving to you and your family too.
Happy Holidays Norma, that parsnip looks awesome! I can’t believe it wasn’t woody. I always try to get the smaller ones from my green grocer because the bigs ones are never good. The spinach looks delicious. Hope you have a nice time with your guests.
Holy moly, take a look at that parsnip!! I hope that you and yours had a lovely Thanksgiving, Norma!
Just wanted to stop back by to wish you all the best during the holidays and into the New Year.
I also wanted to come back & I wish you a Happy, Fun & Culinary 2015, dear Norma! xxx