Weather is moving in....

54*, 34% humidity, W 15 mph wind, cloudy

With the rest of the week predicting freezing weather and possible snow, I KNEW my time has run out for puttering around in the garden. It was all business this morning for me. I got up first thing and drove around the neighborhood to leaf piles and loading up on them. I didn't have to go far before I hit the mother load of maple leaves. I brought them home and began working in the garden. First I dumped a bunch of leaves where I had grown the broccoli and corn this year as it's heavy dirt there and could use some worm action going on. I tilled it in just enough so that it would break down well by spring. I then turned the compost bin and harvested a surprising amount of new dirt which I covered that plot with. the worms shall be happy this winter with something to munch on! I then weeded the garlic well and gave it a covering of straw for the winter. Next, the remaining perennials in the garden that weren't put to bed yet were cut down today. I used the day lily leaves to mulch the new conifer and all the rest went into the compost bin. I have lots of extra leaves in black bags, which I can use in the spring compost and garden beds.

I also needed to use the two remaining pumpkins I had grown since I didn't have time to carve them this year. So Into the kitchen I went--- I cut them up and even though they were from the same plant, I was surprised at their differences. The taller one had fewer but large seeds. the rounder pumpkin had small seeds, but more seeds then I have ever seen in a pumpkin before. I cut them into chunks, scraped them out, and stuffed two large soup pots with them and boiled them till tender. Once they were tender, I scraped them from the skins and pureed them. It would be much easier with a food processor but I don't have one so I used a potato masher. 10 cups of pumpkin went into a big sauce pan, with apple cider, brown sugar, regular sugar, spices and is on it's 3rd hour cooking down. Pumpkin butter rocks! I had 7 cups left of pumpkin, which all got frozen in measured amounts for recipes.
Also, since we ate the last of the store bought bread, I am making a couple loaves right now. A simple recipe, but easy.


The Micro Greens had already started to sprout last night when I got home from work. 1 day sproutage!!