Closing out the garden

It’s that time of year again. Sigh. Fall is here and winter not far behind. The first frost, although light, occurred Saturday night, so growing is done. I spent Saturday afternoon closing out the garden. Pulling sweet potato vines, digging potatoes and picking tomatoes to ripen off the vine. Got a bonus of a nice big strawberry too! Late for them, but no complaints here. The pigs enthusiastically appreciated the vines and the miniature sweet potatoes I fed them. The garden yielded 50# of potatoes this year so all the small ones will be fed to them as treats this winter. Have you grown sweet potatoes? I only about 5years ago realized they could be grown in Zone 6. I’ve been pleasantly surprised and learn more about growing them every year, with this being my best year yet. The garden was decent this year, with some things doing well and others a bust. Sadly zucchini and cucumbers died out quickly due to pests. Since I refuse to use chemicals in my garden, I’ll be spending this winter researching how to control them naturally. As the fall progresses and winter starts to say hello, don’t forget to keep gleaning and putting food away. Nuts are dropping, pumpkins are available and there are still opportunities to add to your larder. Our grandparents and greats, worked daily to feed themselves on the homesteads. The torch has been passed to us. We can feed ourselves, good nutritious foods, cultivated by our own hands just as they did. Food Freedom equals True Freedom. Let us do their memories Justice.