Harvest Festival Fun

On a beautiful October evening, our small town celebrated fall with the Harvest Festival. Just look at these glowing trees in the Veteran's Park.

What's a festival without a parade. Since we are a large agricultural area, farm equipment and farming was spotlighted in the parade...even the festival farm family rode a float.

The farmer's market set up in the park was a popular spot along with kettle korn and apple cider and donut vendors. Gorgeous mums and delicious veggies on display for sale.

Grand Rapids has the Artprize, but we have Hay Bale art. Every one of these creations were made with hay bales. So much fun to tour the over 40 entries for the art contest. Very talented hay bale artists!!

End-of-Season Gardening Tips

The garden has been put to bed for the winter.

End-of-season gardening, a sad time for gardeners. The plants have been pulled. Perhaps some carrots and beets are still in the ground able to stay safe until the big freeze occurs. Be sure to pull them when the weatherman calls for freezing temperatures so the vegetables do not freeze, then rot in the ground. Allow them to dry after pulling in order to store them for the winter stews and soups.

Because we leave for Florida in the fall, my DH cleans out everything. He roto-tilled the garden in order to break up the soil and planted winter rye. The rye comes up, then in the spring, he turns it under to give more nutrients to the soil.

In the photo you can see the strawberry bed which will winter over. These are June bearing strawberries. The snow cover will keep them warm in the winter. I know that sounds impossible, but snow is a good insulator for the plants.

For more end-of-season garden tips, read another article previously posted here.

Now is the time to finish up your garden journal. Make notes while you have next year's plan swirling in your head. Before you know it, you'll be planting seed and digging in your garden next spring.