Apple Cider Vinegar

So there you are thinking, "Well, this fall/winter gardening gig is boring." No bugs, no hurricanes, no thunderstorms with hail, no water, no extreme heat. Nope. The further down the rabbit hole I go the more interesting it gets.
A few years back my son tried to make vinegar. I don't know if it worked but the idea stuck in my brain. Fast forward to now. Our daughter moved to Charlottesville, VA. There, grow many apple trees. I took a ride out to an orchard, picked way too many apples and made my way home. It's a long ride and I had plenty of time to think about the many bags of apples. Back home, a pile of cores and peels on the cutting board, the vinegar experiment wafted through my brain. So I searched how to make it and ta-da. Now, about a month later, I have my very own, very tasty, very pretty apple cider vinegar.
This, gentle reader, may be the beginning of a fermentation binge.
P.S. I have tried it and, two days later, I am still alive.

A Little Seed Saving

A little goes a long way! 

I started seed saving when gifted field pea seeds a few years ago. The seed, Celia's Peas, has been lovingly kept for generations by a Robeson County woman. I have had them a about a decade, the woman who gave them to me was in her 70's. Celia was her grandmother. I'm guessing they have been grown locally for at least 100 years. I read once that plants adapt to their local ecological system when grown there for a long period. Wonder if that is true? They grow upward climbing an old 9 foot wooden ladder beyond it's top. Covered with flowers that change from butter yellow buds to two toned lavender they then produce long pods with up to thirteen peas. Easy peasy to shell, I love them.

A pretty little flower! 

Okra, mustard, lettuce, parsley, fennel, Contender Beans, marigolds and zinnia's are among those I save-and do my best to give them away because Nature is quite generous. An example: just a few okra pods will yield enough seeds to grow enough for our entire county.
Seed saving has the added benefit of adding flowers for bees in the garden. Bees especially love simple (not frilly) flowers It seems that herbs are especially attractive to them. So save some seeds and help the bees. Remember, unless you buy organically grown seeds all seeds have been treated with pesticides and those pesticides persist in the flowers and the soil. No bueno for the insects.

Summer's Over

With the harvest of the last few peppers, the summer garden season came to a close today. Imagine a door slowly, quietly, clicking to. Of course I have regrets. I wish I had planted more, more often, and more varieties. Laughable. Our small kitchen beds put out lots of food, all of it interesting and truly good. More? Is it me or is it all gardeners?
The next sunny day, I will pull out the broccoli because freeze is predicted.  Lettuce, cabbage and carrots will get covered to protect from the cold, cold night temperatures. The temperature change will be abrupt, one of those "Who left the fridge door open?" events so best to play it safe. We somehow manage to eat from our kitchen garden every day, still. Here are pictures of where we are now...

Savoy cabbages are starting to form heads. Ah, the sweet sound of the crunch when sliced open. Now that's something to look forward to on tacos! 

Last of the broccoli on the chopping block. Ready to be steamed with a squeeze of lemon. 

Roasted Red Core Chantenay were for supper last night. Tres bon!