Thanks For the Memories

It feels a little nostalgic to turn the garden under in the fall. I used to wait for the first frost and then pick all the squash and cover the carrots with leaves. That was in Spokane, a different climate than the PNW. Concord grapes were better after the first frost. Sweeter. Jack and would pick the two rows that formed the walkway to the house. The grapes overflowed the wheelbarrow many times. We gave some away and I would make grape juice with the rest. Someone told me how to fill the jar with grapes, add some sugar syrup and hot bath the jars. That was it. Grape juice. You could also use a juicer and hot bath the juice. There probably has to be some lemon in there for the proper citric acid level. That is important in canning. If you've never canned, the jars glistening on the counter, their tops popping as they seal, you don't know what a good feeling it brings to the heart. A feeling of security, I think. Especially when the fruit cellar is filled with jars. All that food there to feed the family throughout the winter. And the wood stacked high for the woodstove. Good and secure.

I had a friend once who said she was freaked out by having too much food in her house. I had cupboards full of food. Cans of tomato sauce and soup and olives. When I cooked a meal, I had the ingredients, usually. So part came from the garden and part from the cupboard. When I went back to the land in the 70s, I hoped I could have everything come from my mini-farm. It didn't, but I did well with all the canning, etc. One thing about this type of lifestyle, is it takes time. And we don't have as much time now to do homey things these days. Lots of folks aren't at home in the same way. This makes me sad. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I love the idea of milling about the house and yard and making a home. I'm sad to not have that now. It's hard to make a condo. I'm going to move. I decided that in the night—I've decided it other nights too. This is how it goes being a divorcee. Deciding and then being unable to know how to get to where I want to go. Then I feel nauseous. Urgh!

To put the garden to bed, layer it with the compost you've been making all summer. You can grow a cover crop. Many people think this is a good way to amend soil. I doubt I will sow a cover crop, more than likely I'll find someone to haul manure for me. Next year the garden will produce. This year, well, at least I'm eating tomatoes and greens. And I get to chat with the other gardeners. All of this is good.

Flower