It’s spooky season, y’all! And while the temperatures slowly cool down here, our summer crops are winding down here, too. Here’s what we have going on, as well as what’s in store for fall and beyond.

Vegetable Beds and Herbs

Most of our vegetables and fruits are done for the season (looking at you, corn and tomatoes), but many of our late-summer fruits are still at it, thanks to some unseasonably warm October temperatures. We got to dehydrate several pounds of tomatoes, thanks to my dad (thanks, dad!), and now I have some delightful jars of oil-packed “sun”-dried tomatoes hanging out for future dishes.

Okra, bell peppers, and hot peppers are producing well (hence the appearance of cheddar jalapeno scones at some markets!). I’ve become a big fan of slicing fresh jalapenos on several dishes, since our peppers haven’t been scorching this year.

We’ve got tons of fresh basil still coming in (both Thai and Genovese). A plethora of parsley has been grand for falafel, schug, and other tasty dishes/sauces, and various other porch herbs (e.g., sage, thyme, chives, oregano) are still going strong.

We’re also still getting a pumpkin straggler (go, pumpkin, go!), as well as our funky knobbly squash we have yet to identify. We’ve even got enough this year, with the addition of some mini decorative squashes I got from a fellow vendor, to make a fun fall basket. It is decorative gourd season, after all.

As for cool and cold weather planting, we’ve got radishes, kale, and collards either coming up or germinating (I mostly spread them haphazardly in empty beds, as that seems to be the best way to get them to grow for us, no joke). Here’s hoping we get some tasty winter veggies to hold us over!

Moonflowers

I’m forever starting my moonflowers indoors in February, because we’ve been blessed with several of these gorgeous blooms every evening for about a month now.

Yes, they take patience and maintenance, but their sweet aroma and hand-sized bright white flowers are totally worth it. It’s been even more fun with morning glories tangled in, so we’re never without flowers!

Chickens

Well, we’re down to five chickens. We lost Piccata to general poor health, and a fox came in the night and got Parma. It’s been quite the past few months here for animals, but we’re hopeful about getting more in the future soon.

Family

Otherwise, we’re enjoying the flip-flopping fall and summer weather here as a family, either by having coffeetime on the porch when it’s not blazing hot, or visiting an apple farm for some Saturday morning fun. October and beyond are very busy months for our family and the business, so it’s nice to take a breather and enjoy the homestead and surrounding farms when we can.

That’s about all I’ve got for today. Stay tuned for announcements regarding November and December baking classes (and while you do that, why not check out what’s in store for October? I’ll wait).

Until next time, happy homesteading!