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Fall Garden 2026

Posted on October 21, 2026October 21, 2026 by Econogal

Knowing the forecast called for overnight lows in the twenties we prioritized harvesting everything that would be damaged. The Big Garden was the focus. However, yields this year were abysmal. Two hand baskets held the entire late harvest.

Root vegetables were left in place. Their growth will slow but not stop yet. The artichoke was prepared for overwintering. It was a complete failure not even yielding a single bud. But I want to try another year before giving up. And to be honest, the yield from this year’s garden was the poorest yet. Drought and heat are most likely to be blamed. Even the bugs were in short supply.

I covered the newly planted garlic with a layer of straw. I planted four varieties in two places in the fall garden. This is overcompensating for not planting any last year. However, skipping an occasional year results positively the following year. I may need to do that with tomatoes next year.

We tried covering several of the side garden plants with sheets, but only the east facing, back to a wall herb garden survived. The tomatoes and peppers and ornamental sweet potato vines all burned from frost bite.

Two hand held baskets filled with vegetables from the fall garden. — Last of the Harvest

Now comes the task of preparing the garden for winter. The larger plants will be cut at ground level. This usually includes cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and beans. However, eggplants, like the artichoke never produced a single flower. The cucumbers blossomed on stunted vines and only one deformed fruit formed. Tomatoes and beans came on late so many were too small to harvest. The peppers were the star of the garden!

But all are gone now. Cutting the stalks leaves the root system intact and helps keep the soil anchored to a certain extent. Our winter winds can reach 100 m.p.h. here on the High Plains.

Leaves will be raked and used as mulch as well as added to the compost pile. The tougher plants and flowers will be left outside before bringing those in pots inside. This includes herbs such as Rosemary. The Buffalo grass on the lot will remain uncut from now until spring in hopes of catching more snow. The same with some of the lower growing plants.

Hoses and plant supports need to go into storage by early November. Plus, I need to winterize water features. Basil is already repotted and inside. Other tender herbs that survived will receive the same treatment. The list is long but doable as afternoon temperatures are in the mid-seventies. What chores do you have for your fall garden?

Multiplying Seed Catalogs

Posted on January 26, 2026January 26, 2026 by Econogal

It is January and seed catalogs are multiplying at my house. Online shopping is not a mainstay for me. I prefer supporting the small town businesses. But garden seeds are an exception. Due to the climate, plants need to get started indoors sooner than later.

Since I buy seeds late January to early February, I am now on the list for numerous seed suppliers even if I have never heard of them before. And to a certain extent these companies are reaping a return on their purchase of lists. I always look at the new offerings and sometimes I will try a new company.

Most of the seed catalogs arriving on my doorstep could qualify as a favorite. Standbys such as Burpee, Gurney’s, Johnny’s and Jung appear multiple times a year. Then there are the specialty types. Rare seeds, heirloom seeds, kitchen seeds all seem to find me. Some are thick and glossy, while others are old-fashioned with diagrams instead of photos. I eagerly await them all.

This year both Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and The Seed Savers Catalog arrived before the new year. Perhaps a belief that the early bird will get the seed buyer. However, like previous years, it is the first really cold snap that has me turning and marking pages in the plethora of seed catalogs.

I am just in the beginning stages of planning this year’s garden. After three years of no squash in order to persuade the squash bugs to move elsewhere, I will add acorn squash back into the mix.

The peanuts I threw into the garden as a last-ditch attempt for plants did produce some seed. However, the seeds are smaller than average.

Sweet Potato slips will need to be ordered again. No crop last year means no roots saved to produce slips for this year’s garden.

At this time there is only one new baby expected in the family. However, other things will impact the size of the garden. And the time devoted to gardening. All are inputs for determining just how much seed to order. After all the planning and work, everything depends on the timing of mother nature. What are you planting this year?

Overwintering Artichokes

Posted on October 29, 2025October 29, 2025 by Econogal

Artichoke growing in a garden row. — Artichoke before overwintering.

Once again, I am overwintering artichokes. The first try was a bust. I had read an article in a Front Range newspaper about keeping artichokes alive through the winter in order to reach their second year when the chokes are produced. But I did little research. Unsurprisingly, failure was the result.

This year I watched several how-to videos and read articles both in books and on the Internet. My hope is to succeed unless the winter temperatures are extreme. Here on the High Plains the thermometer can plummet to more than twenty degrees below zero using the Fahrenheit scale.

There are just a few steps involved in the overwintering process. The first step I neglected on my previous try. The celery-like stalks are trimmed down close to the ground.

Step Two is working a small amount of compost into the ground. The compost will help feed the plants while they are overwintering. I used a couple of handfuls per plant.

Then a heavy layer of mulch is spread across the plant. Since three artichoke plants are growing in the Big Garden, I experimented at this step. One of the plants was surrounded by pavers before spreading the straw mulch. Each plant has close to ten inches of straw atop.

In case the overwintering of the artichokes fails again, Plan B will go into effect late next winter. New seeds will be sprouted. And then they will be placed in a location where the temperatures will remain between 40° and 50° F. This should trick the plant into thinking it is in its second year.

Since the plants need to have some growth by this point, the seeds will most likely be started in January. It will be interesting to see if this works as well as the videos I watched. On the positive side, if the plants outsmart my maneuvers, I can always try overwintering again.

July 2025 Wrap-Up

Posted on July 31, 2025July 31, 2025 by Econogal

The highlight of the garden mid-summer is the peach harvest. This year the crop was moderate in number but large in size. Fresh peaches with meals are the best. But low sugar peach jam and peach pies are also delicious. We were able to share with friends and neighbors.

The lettuce finally went to seed. The loose-leaf varieties were plentiful. However, the star of the lettuce harvest was the head of Great Lakes. The iceberg variety can be challenging to grow in the heat.

Beets and turnips are still maturing, but the first of the crop were harvested at the end of the month. Both were good sized. Unfortunately, the seed potatoes from the first planting failed and so far, the second planting has yielded small spuds.

A mid-July trip to the Jersey Shore was a treat. Travelling with youngsters takes planning and patience but it is so worth it. The journey across time zones affects youngsters and adults in different ways. Babies are hungry when they are hungry. And to a certain extent so are school-aged kids.

Fortunately, we found a great seafood place a block offshore. So good, we took our larger group back there once the rest arrived. In the interim we hit the beach with gusto and wisdom. If you are ever near Monmouth, you can’t go wrong eating at Charley’s Ocean Grill.

For much of my first twenty years of life, I lived near the Atlantic Ocean. Over seven of those years I was in easy walking distance. Looking out on the endless horizon brought peace to my soul. (Living on the High Plains has a similar vibe-just vast open land instead of seas.)

Additionally, the lessons of living near the beach become ingrained. Those growing up on the shore understand the need to respect the tides and the current. Riptides are especially dangerous. As are storms.

Another known thing about growing up along the ocean is the likelihood of sharks will increase if the fishing boats are in close. Such was the case at the Jersey Shore. I explained to the granddaughters that if you could see the people on the boats clearly then you needed to keep one eye looking for sharks. We only saw one and it was out aways. Much to their dismay, no dolphins were sighted. However, the oldest loved the trip so much she informed us on the way home she was moving to New Jersey when she grew up.

Reviews of three of the five books read in July were posted and a fourth review will be released soon. The fifth was very enjoyable and recommended. Yet, it’s hard to review. Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths For Our Complex Lives is a non-fiction offering by Gretchin Rubin. The book of aphorisms reminds me of various wise sayings offered by my parents and grandparents as I was growing up. Short of quoting most of the aphorisms there was not enough to create a post. So, I suggest you find a copy at your local library or bookstore. It took me just over an hour to read cover to cover.

Mid-Summer 2025 Look at the Garden

Posted on July 19, 2025July 19, 2025 by Econogal

The garden starts in March with the planting of lettuces and other greens, onions and potatoes. The first of the potatoes have stalled out and the harvested spuds are small in size.

Salad greens are toward the end of their spring cycle. So, several varieties are going to seed. Per usual practice, seeds will be saved in envelopes for next year. The exception, the heads of Great Lakes lettuce which are still forming.

Peas are about finished and yielded poorly. The climate of the Plains contributes to this. Not enough cloudy days to my thinking. Beans and cucumbers are climbing and flowering. Can’t wait until they are ready to taste!

Photo is one of the Great Lakes heads forming in the greens row.

The cherries and gooseberries enjoyed average yields. As discussed in the post, June 2025 Wrap-Up, both cherry jam and jelly were put up. Additionally, frozen berries and cherries are available for future enjoyment.

Peaches and apples are still ripening on the tree. Both are small crops due to blooms before the last freeze. Climate changes are impacting both. Final spring freezes are the same but are often preceded by unseasonably warm days or even weeks.

Grapes are still filling out. Green-seeded and Concord are on their usual track. Mid-summer 2025 yields the first ever crop of seedless grapes. Not sure how these will turn out.

The early tomatoes are delicious. Most of the slicers as well as the bite-sized cherries are in the side garden near the kitchen. Very handy for picking right before a meal.

The canning tomatoes have two locations this year. As in the past, the seedling transplant was slow. I may need to start the seeds a month earlier. Or bring them out to the cold frame sooner.

Most of these tomatoes are in the flowering stage. However, a few small green tomatoes are setting. The tomato plant identifications were lost prior to transplant. So, a small mystery awaits the harvest.

March 2025 Wrap-Up

Posted on March 31, 2025March 31, 2025 by Econogal

March 2025 contained a variety of weather from balmy to frigid. Moisture was on the light side, but the last few days look promising for April showers. Travel, gardening and quilting took up quite a bit of time. Books were read and reviewed. All in all, it was a productive month.

On the economic front, tariffs are eminent, and the outcome is uncertain. Naturally this translates into an unsettled market. Young stock market participants need not panic but I am sure retirees and fixed income individuals are as jittery as the stock exchanges. I have added a New Market Basket to track how the coming tariffs will impact prices. The Misery Index fell slightly to 6.9%. This is opposite of what I expect going forward.

Politics in the United States continues to be acrimonious. Our united front after 9/11 is all but gone. There is plenty of blame to go around and none of it is helpful. Personally, I only know of a few people planning to locate outside of the country. But others may be entertaining the thought of moving abroad. The parallels to the 1930s and 1940s have the elderly population shaking their heads.

March is a good time to start seeds. So, the cool-weather crops were started in early March 2025 while the tomatoes were planted toward the end of the month. Lettuce, kale, spinach and Swiss chard make up most of the plants. Six different tomato varieties were planted. The Genuine Heirloom Marriage Hybrid tomatoes took longer to emerge, and the germination rate was about half. But the seeds were from 2023. Viability decreases over time.

Additionally, repairs were made to the raised rows in the Big Garden. Early March brought tropical storm and even Cat. One winds to the Great Plains. Dust storms still exist in this part of the country in the early spring. Fortunately, by the end of the month the wheat stands turned green and helped mitigate the dirt-filled air. Hopefully, April will bring rain.

Planning The 2025 Garden

Posted on January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 by Econogal

First, a review of the failures and successes of the 2024 plantings. This past year was much better than 2023 although not as productive as 2020. The sweet potatoes produced a nice yield for the two of us. More than enough to get us through the winter months and a few to start new slips with. The 2024 crop came from just two slips which were grown from the 2023 harvest. However, not enough to share with neighbors and families.

The tomato crop also improved from the year before. Two reasons for this. Fewer plants were placed in the big garden. I was trying to increase the space between the plants so diseases would not pass as easily between the tomatoes. Tomato wilt has been a problem. Additionally, I changed the varieties planted. Crop rotation is ongoing.

Spinach grew in pots- and nowhere else. So, in planning the 2025 Garden, I plan to plant in one of the metal rings that usually grow potatoes.

The lettuces were great, so no changes there. But the brassicas need an earlier indoor start. Finally, the cucumbers also enjoyed less competition under and on the trellises.

Keeping the future in mind is an important second step in planning the 2025 Garden. So far on the calendar are the births of two babies, two weddings, and a combined 80^th Birthday celebration for an aunt and uncle. And it is just the first week of January.

So, a garden which will survive my travelling now and again is important. Crops that take all season to mature may find spots in the garden when they were left out last year. Peanuts come to mind in addition to sweet potatoes. And winter squash. Furthermore, this is probably not a good year for experiments or adding new plantings.

I like to use diagrams when planning. The Big Garden and side garden each get a page at the minimum. The raised boxes are usually placed front and back on a single page. The herb gardens also get plotted out. Since many are perennials, the planning is not as complicated.

Using a scale is helpful for creating diagrams. Tomatoes like Cherokee Purple need more space than Romas. Vining crops such as melons can take up a third of the row. Fortunately, favorite veggies, such as onions, can pop in almost everywhere.

The last step in planning the 2025 Garden is calculating when to start the seeds. One will need to know the average last frost. Then figure the amount of time a seed will need to germinate and transform into a plant before setting outside. Using a calendar, count back the number of weeks for indoor growth from the average last freeze. Then mark that date in your calendar. Plants vary greatly from germination to reaching the size ready to grow. One final caution- certain plants need warm ground in addition to frost-free temperatures. I often add a month to the last frost date for veggies such as eggplant and melons.

One-Slip Sweet Potatoes

Posted on October 29, 2024October 29, 2024 by Econogal

Videos and blogs suggest growing sweet potato slips as easy. My experience is mixed. The 2023 crop of sweet potato slips were plentiful. The year before I ordered two dozen because the slips are shipped to Colorado in late June, right along with the first of the hot weather. Survival rate from the shipping is less than 50%. So, I wanted to increase the odds.

After shipping, transplanting can be a tricky business. Placing the slips in a vase of water for a couple of days before placing them in the ground is helpful. Unlike seedlings, slips are planted bare-rooted. 2023 was my first year of planting home grown sweet potato slips. This avoided the shipping damage. Through the winter of 2022-23, I kept vines in water and grew vines in a planting medium. About eight slips were produced.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the winter of 2023-24. Only one slip made it to June. This slip was planted in a fire ring planter.

The yield this year was naturally smaller in number. But the sweet potatoes are of a good size. Interestingly enough, a vine with newly sprouted leaves was mixed in with the maturing leaves. I have placed it in a vase and roots are already developing.

There were 2 small tubers. One I planted into soil. No signs of life so far. The other is propped in a small jar with toothpicks. It also has developing roots.

As for the sweet potatoes, the true test will come once they are cooked. Currently they are curing as I was not patient enough to wait for the first frost. My experience is sweet potatoes can be harvested after a light freeze if dug the morning after.

September 2024 Wrap-Up

Posted on September 30, 2024September 30, 2024 by Econogal

The September 2024 calendar was filled with travelling, canning, reading and writing. Warm daytime temperatures and cool nights make this one of my favorite months. Add in the beauty of the turning leaves and the ripening of vine fruits and you have just about everything one could ask for.

Unfortunately for those not living on the High Plains and within driving distance of the Rockies, the weather may not have been as pleasant. Plus, my heart goes out to those residing in the Southeast part of the country. Hurricane season is not to be taken lightly.

The mountains of Central Colorado are at peak fall color. So, I tagged along on a business trip to Vail Valley. In addition to Vail, I spent time in Silverthorne with a dear friend. We had a delicious lunch at Enza’s Delicatessen and Market, sitting outside along the creek.

Dinner in Vail the first night was also along a creek-Gore Creek at Mountain Standard. The restaurant hosts a hearty menu of various meats. We try to eat here every time we are in Vail.

The second night we wandered through the village for an hour before finding a pizza place. Pazzo’s Pizza had the Thursday Night football game on. Now that these games are streamed for pay, it was nice to find a spot with a subscription. On top of that, our pizza earned Pazzo’s a rank among the top in pizzeria’s west of the Mississippi.

Social media continues to baffle me. Searching for first-hand accounts of Hurricane Helene yields bitter political discourse. Also, there are a variety of conspiracy theories regarding the weather. No common sense and very little compassion and understanding.

Fortunately, in-person conversations continue to uplift. One recent encounter at a C-Store on an interstate provided much joy. Little Daisy Mae in her side car is a service dog with excellent training and great behavior. Her owner was tickled with recent awards at a car show in Goodland, Kansas. Our conversation ended because vehicles were waiting for their turn at the pump. I need more of this in my life! Real people and real experiences.

August 2024 Wrap-Up

Posted on August 31, 2024August 31, 2024 by Econogal

Some months race through and others, like August 2024 linger, allowing one to savor the end of summer. So many hot days punctured by thunderstorms giving respite from the sizzle. County fairs, all day canning sessions, and refinishing furniture wound through the month. And the highlights, relatively cool days in Castle Rock, Colorado watching the BMW Championship professional golf tournament and attendance at a beautiful wedding just down the interstate at the beautiful Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs.

Some great reading, visiting with friends and family and finishing a baby quilt all added to a sense of non-stress summer accomplishments. One could wish all months were like August 2024. Certainly, it was a month of productivity. But there was more. Perhaps, it was a concerted effort to unplug from national politics. Two full months remain before the election. Plenty of time to study candidates and ballot issues.

Or maybe because August 2024 allowed me to see three of my four offspring. Family is important. No matter the reason, the past month was quite enjoyable.

Summers during my childhood were filled with ocean swims, biking up and down the Daytona Beach peninsula and hours of reading every day. Now, I have many other activities to fit in as well and of course no beach a block away. The time spent in Castle Rock and Colorado Springs offers a replacement for the Atlantic. I could see myself living full time in the Rockies—someday. Hiking and biking and the smell of pines after a rain connect me to the earth as much as salty breezes and cries of seagulls.

Book reviews flow best just after finishing the last chapter. However, sometimes the final page comes just after midnight. This is why my review of The Women has not posted. I am struggling to express the depth of Kristen Hannah’s writing on a topic so close to my heart. The 1970s was not a good time to be an Army Brat.

August 2024 outshines last year in the garden. While the tomatoes are not a banner crop, they are a good amount. Cantaloupe are sweet and prolific as are jalapeños. The last week of the month the serrano pepper bush finally flowered, so barring an early freeze, September will offer even more peppers. Green beans are flowering as well. Plus, the two slips of sweet potatoes are thriving.

Cucumbers are eaten fresh and pickled. And onions are still abundant. I have let some of the salad greens go to seed and will begin collecting that seed soon for next year’s use. I encourage everyone to grow at least a small garden. Even apartments can have a few pots of herbs, lettuces or perhaps green onions.

Small Garden Style Book Review

Posted on July 24, 2024July 24, 2024 by Econogal

This how-to book starts off with a style quiz. After tabulating results, individual readers can skip to the section which describes them best. In my case, more than one style emerged from the quiz. And since by the time the quiz was over, I knew this book was a keeper, I ended up reading through all the styles.

The authors pay close attention to the function of the garden. Then the design flows. Almost every page has photos to illustrate the different styles. But it is more than a book full of pretty pictures. Small Garden Style serves as a textbook for those who truly want to learn about maximizing a small area for the greatest benefits.

I love this book and have already put it to use at my house on the Plains. The high heat this summer has provided mixed results. New trees fair better if they can go into the ground earlier in the spring and the same holds true with perennials. A mid-June planting proves difficult. The techniques on color, number and repetition have yielded outstanding results. The chapter on container gardening also provided stunning arrangements. Small Garden Style is perfect for either the public or home library.

Reduced Sugar Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins

Posted on June 23, 2024June 23, 2024 by Econogal

This morning’s batch of Reduced Sugar Zucchini Muffins were delicious and more than half the batch was gobbled up. I adapted the recipe from the Nothin’ but Muffins cookbook compiled by Cyndi Duncan and Georgie Patrick. I have used this spiral bound cookbook for decades.

The zucchini bush I planted in the middle of the herb planter is producing already and somehow one got away from me. So, I cut the oversized fruit in half, peeled and grated it, yielding about 1 ½ to 2 cups.

Ever since reading the Case Against Sugar, I have made reducing sugar a priority. But I tweaked the recipe in a couple of other places too. I subbed walnuts for pecans, cut the salt dramatically and used olive oil. Also, my oatmeal was not quick-cooking just regular oats from Heartland Mill in Marienthal, Kansas. In theory these should all be healthy substitutions. However, the muffins did not taste healthy…they were decadent- a word I usually reserve for chocolate.

Preheat oven to 400° F. and grease muffin tins. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, walnuts, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Break eggs into small bowl and slightly beat then pour over flour mixture. Then add grated zucchini and olive oil. Just stir until all the flour mixture is incorporated. If flour does not mix in, add more zucchini. Batter will be somewhat stiff. Spoon into muffin tins. Bake large tin for fifteen to twenty minutes and small tin for five minutes less. Remove from oven when tops are golden brown. Sinfully delicious when warm-no butter or jam needed. Also great after the Reduced Sugar Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins have cooled. Enjoy!

Garden Weeds

Posted on June 11, 2024June 11, 2024 by Econogal

The creeper and bindweed get top billing and first attack due to their invasiveness. The bindweed is in a few spots in the lot. Unfortunately, it is close to overtaking one of the front beds. My attempts to eradicate it are foiled by the persistence of the weed. Additionally, the bed is difficult to weed because ants have made the area into a home.

I have field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) in my yard. Some years I think I am getting ahead of it. But not this year. My absence from the garden last fall is taking a toll. With the exception of a few vines on the lot, the bindweed has not begun flowering. I hope to wrestle control before the white flowers appear.

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is favored by some as a plant. But I place it into the garden weeds category. I wear long sleeves, long pants and gloves when I battle this five-leaved vine. Since I am sensitive to the oils in the plant, the covering keeps me from receiving a skin rash. This is one of those garden weeds that can cause allergic reactions and sickness if the berries are eaten. So, even though they provide beautiful color in the fall with the leaves turning orange and crimson, I dislike this particular vine.

A side effect of planting many trees years ago is that the trees are now mature enough to produce seeds and thus seedlings. Last year the Chinese elm was the greatest nuisance. This year both red bud and oak trees are popping up everywhere.

Occasionally, a seedling escapes my notice for a year or two. When that occurs, I try to find a new home for the tree. I particularly have luck transplanting the cedars and junipers. If the volunteer is in a good place for a tree, it is protected so growth can naturally occur.

Therefore, a beautiful Shademaster honeylocust is part of the northern boundary of my property. The nursery claimed these trees were seedless. But my trees all produce large brown seed pods. And one new tree about ten foot tall.

My Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) continues to thrive and is determined to drop seedlings when the squirrels miss an acorn or two. Unlike the Gambel Oak (Quercus Gambelii) which are known as scrub oak, the Bur Oak stands as a single specimen. Planted almost thirty years ago, my Bur Oak is taller than my house. I don’t really have a spot for a second one.

2023 Fall Harvest Re-Cap

Posted on October 24, 2023October 24, 2023 by Econogal

With one exception, the root vegetables were the stars of the garden this year. The white potatoes were actually grown outside of the big garden with limited access to irrigation. Yet, a small store of potatoes is still available from a mid-summer harvest. I attribute this to the abundance of rain in the early part of the season.

Storage onions were a mixed success. The number of onions was on par with recent years. However, the size was considerably smaller. A combination of haphazard harvesting along with a lack of rain in the latter part of the season created this outcome for the 2023 fall harvest.

Unfortunately, the beets tied for the worst performance of the year. Less than a dozen including the three that are still in the ground. Fortunately, carrots were good and those not harvested remain in the ground covered with straw to store until they are needed. As are the leeks.

The best crop production is the sweet potato. These root vegetables are tricky to grow this far west and north. Since they are a family favorite, I have found a nearly foolproof way to grow them.

First, Centennial Heirlooms are the type I grow. They are ready to dig in 100-110 days. Therefore, most years will produce a crop with our late May for a last freeze and mid-September for a first frost as the averages. Even the short 2020 season produced enough to store into the late fall.

Second, the slips are started by the end of March allowing enough time to grow to transplant size. I am still experimenting with water versus a growing medium as to how to produce the healthiest transplants. Ordering slips through the mail can be a back-up, but often they are too stressed to survive.

Next, a warm ground is required before planting. I achieve this by raising my sweet potato crop in raised beds. The soil warms faster inside the metal rings I use. But if you don’t have raised beds, a black tarp put in place in late spring will also work.

Finally, I water them and leave them alone. Instead of picking by the calendar date and curing for two weeks, I wait until the first frost. Then early the next day I “dig” them up. The raised beds allow me to dig with my hands instead of a pitchfork. The frost makes them sweet. But a delay in gathering the tubers will ruin the crop. This year’s harvest yielded about 20 pounds. Plenty to feed two through the winter.

Harvesting Dill Seed

Posted on September 28, 2023September 28, 2023 by Econogal

Harvesting dill seed is labor intensive, much like coriander seed. Perhaps commercial growers have machines. But this hobby herbalist does not. While some herbs such as sage and basil can be hung to dry then crumbled as needed, dill takes more work. A lot more!

First separate the seeds from the umbels. This part of the plant is shaped like an umbrella and holds the yellow gold flowers which then produce the seed. If you have used the bag method some seeds may have dropped to the bottom of the bag. But often the heads still contain seed.

After separating the seed from the umbels, the cleaning process begins. But NO Washing! Water may cause germination.

Cleaning dill seed is much like cleaning grains by hand. Sifters and colanders are needed. Wind or fans can help too.

Large planting of dill on a patio. — Volunteer Dill Forest

Seeds saved for sowing in the garden next year can simply sort into an envelope or other seed storing container. However, dill seed to use in cooking requires cleaning the chaff. This outer cover of the seed is not desirable for consumption. It is a multi-stepped process to separate the seed from the chaff.

A warning- the process can be messy. Furthermore, working outdoors can result in a forest of dill next year.

I first use a colander to separate the largest of the stems from the seed material. Then I use a larger mesh sifter or sieve and shake down into a smaller meshed sifter. The lighter, smaller chaff passes through. Mostly seed remains.

An alternative method uses a light breeze outdoors or a fan indoors. The seed can be sifted back and forth utilizing the moving air to shake the chaff off the seed. Occasionally seed will also blow out/away. Indoors can get messy.

Green Manure

Posted on May 1, 2023May 1, 2023 by Econogal

Yesterday, was sunny and beautiful with temperature reaching into the low 60s (Fahrenheit.) The long-range forecast shows a slow but steady warm up. Winter may finally be gone. It is too soon to plant tender vegetables. But warm soil will soon follow the warming air. So, it is time to turn the green manure.

Fortunately, my Big Garden is small enough to utilize manual labor. The two of us made quick work turning the empty rows. Armed with shovels, the work took less than twenty minutes.

However, the row with the garden greens needed a little more attention. I hand pulled the oats and alternated between a hand trowel and a cultivator to chop them up and turn them under. This was a fairly easy process since the transplants have been in the ground for several weeks.

The final row was a bit of a disaster. Tiny beets were beginning to emerge. I am afraid there were some casualties. And I plan to reseed the row.

The first positive of the oats is now gone. The plants provided an anchor for the soil over the last six weeks. From mid-March through April, we experience strong winds. For those of you unfamiliar with the High Plains, strong winds here equate to tropical storm and Category 1 Hurricane strength. Fortunately, the winds this year stayed below 100 m.p.h.

Now that the oats have been turned over, the chemical benefits of the green manure can take place. The vegetation acts similar to compost, enriching the soil for demanding crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, melons and beets. My research indicates the turned green manure needs at least two weeks but no more than four weeks to break down the nutrients. Perfect timing as the soil needs to warm up a bit more before transplanting the tomato, melon and cucumber seedlings still under the grow lights.

Oats underneath a trellis. — Thick stand of oats below cucumber trellis.

Not quite ready for transplanting outside.

Mystery Tomatoes

Posted on March 24, 2023 by Econogal

2023 might be the year of mystery tomatoes. Recycling can have its’ downside if one is not super organized. This year my attempt at organization hit a setback. Reusing old plastic trays for my seedlings is not new to me. But for the first time I merely created sheets of planting information instead of buying more plastic labels.

Now the sheet indicating which row has which tomato variety is lost. As a result, I will have mystery tomatoes if the information is not found.

Each year I plant both paste and slicing tomatoes. Then I go a step further and plant different varieties in each category. This year the seed starts include Early Girl, Brandywine, Opalka and San Marzano. But I have five rows. So, I definitely will have some mystery tomatoes. Furthermore, I may not be able to differentiate the different varieties in the two categories.

Usually, the paste tomatoes have a smaller seedling appearance. This should allow me to identify between slicing and canning. But I doubt I will be able to know which are the Early Girl tomatoes. Perhaps all the starts will become mystery tomatoes.

Each year a few tomatoes pop up in the garden on their own. These volunteer tomatoes are often heirloom tomatoes. Those with a purplish cast to their leaves are easily identified as Purple Cherokee. And since Roma tomatoes are open-pollinated they also easily reseed. I tend to dig these volunteer mystery tomatoes and re-locate them to a raised bed of volunteers. This allows me to separate the known from the unknown.

Unfortunately, this year may be one of unknowns. If the identification sheet is not found the entire garden may be comprised of mystery tomatoes. At least until harvest approaches. Mostly the loss of identification will mean inconvenience as the slicing tomatoes may end up in the Big Garden instead of just outside the kitchen door. Next year, I will buy some markers!

Spring 2023 on the Horizon

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Econogal

A new fence to discourage critters from roaming around my yard is now in place. It is not foolproof, but affordable and will act as a deterrent. However, it is really a temporary structure. The panels are held in place with steel stakes and a special attachment creates a handy gate. Everything can be easily moved. My hope is the local wildlife (and not so wild) will bypass my yard.

The Big Garden is now enclosed by two fences. While the outer fence could be jumped by either a deer or a large fox, multiple fences help deter the animals. It should encourage them to go on down the street to easier pickings.

The very cool temperatures (and more to come-snow is in the forecast) have kept me from starting seeds which need warmer weather. However, my cool season crops have begun the hardening off process. Tomorrow may be difficult with highs only in the upper 30s but they will go outside for a short spell. Most have been transplanted to a larger container and are almost ready to go into the ground.

Spurred on by the blooming crocus, I have been amending the soil in the big garden with straw and mushroom compost. I went one step further today and planted peas, carrots and early beets. If we get a light covering of snow tomorrow the seeds will have both insulation and moisture.

My seed starting for Spring 2023 will turn to tomatoes, pepper and eggplants over the next several days. The bulbs finally popping up signal it is time. So, seed starting of all kinds will begin in earnest.

Two new trees were purchased yesterday. Both cherries. The North Star is a dwarf variety and can be hard to buy around here even though it is well suited to the climate and soil type. This tree was still dormant so it has been planted even though temperatures will be back down into the teens for the next few days.

The second tree is a Montmorency. I currently have one of these that has been growing for twenty-eight years. It is beginning to show its’ age. Since the buds are trying to leaf out on this replacement, the tree is in a protected spot on the back porch and will be planted once we get past the hard frosts. The stress of transplanting a tree trying to bud out accompanied by the big drop in temperature spells disaster. It is tough enough to get trees to grow on the windy and dry High Plains.

I like to plant trees. They are a sign of hope for the future. Usually, I only plant one a year. But the age of my current cherry tree is prompting me to plant two in Spring 2023. The winter moisture should give the trees a good start. Spring 2023 rains and snows are welcome. Soon more time will be spent outdoors. What do you plan to grow?

Time to Plan the Garden

Posted on January 21, 2023January 21, 2023 by Econogal

When the January snow blows it is time to plan the garden. This is always a favorite indoor task for this time of year. And a wet snow encourages both High Plains farmers and gardeners. So, after looking at the forecast showing three chances of snow in one week, I visited the library. Multiple books were checked out including three related to gardening.

The Backyard Gardener by Kelly Orzel, Deerproofing Your Yard & Garden by Rhonda Massingham Hart and an Eyewitness Garden of Pruning & Training edited and published by DK Publishing provided additional reading material. So, the time to plan the garden is nigh.

Before the arrival of snow, temperatures soared into the low sixties (Fahrenheit.) It is quite normal in this part of the world to have a warm-up before a front moves in. Year round we have temperature fluctuations of forty degrees or more on a daily basis. On the High Plains, population is sparse as are trees. This adds to cooling at night without concrete to trap the warmth. Click here for an interesting article from Time discussing concrete and heat.

Therefore, warm afternoons allow one to work in the garden for a few hours. These past two weeks ushered in a clean-up of early crop beds by cutting back the asparagus stalks and cleaning out the bed for the brassicas. After last year’s wind storm wiped out my garlic crop, I’ve become a dirty/lazy gardener leaving stalks in the ground to catch the snow and keep the soil anchored.

An alternative would be to grow a winter cover crop. Something I am considering. Although it seems to be a waste of seed, plowing under rye first thing in the spring.

The seed catalogues began arriving just after Christmas. Most are from companies I have ordered from in the past. Although a few are new to me. Perhaps sister companies-much preferable thought to that of my buying habits marketed to others.

Inflation has hit the garden supply industry. Supports such as tomato cages and trellises seem to have doubled in price. Since I do not keep catalogs from year to year this may be inaccurate. But the prices are higher. Planning will be critical and I may upcycle even more in the 2023 garden.

Some seeds were harvested from my own garden last year, including herbs such as dill, parsley and basil. The rosemary will need to be replaced. A necessary cost. The chives, sage and thyme can be divided. A wonderful savings. All indications point to higher costs. Thus, planning will be more important than ever. It certainly is time to plan the garden.

By reviewing the notes from my calendars, I know what items to re-order. And which ones to skip. For example, last years eggplants grew larger than the year before, but the vines became diseased. Not ideal for a home garden.

Copious notes help keep track of results. Additionally, the notations include rainfall and freeze dates. We started off with a dry spring, had a slightly wetter early summer and then dried out again. A tough environment.

In my opinion, the average frost dates are meaningless. In the last five years we have had spring freezes as late as Memorial Day and as early as mid-April. The same is true with the fall. Including the threat of a Labor Day freeze in 2020. So, material to protect crops is needed- as is patience. And the ability to adjust to a unpredictable growing season.

Bull Snakes Allowed

Posted on October 25, 2022 by Econogal

Young adult bull snake taking a defensive position. — The round eyes help identify the type of snake.

While not a fan of snakes in general, I understand the importance of snakes such as bull snakes in the ecosystem. So, identification is important. Bull snakes closely resemble rattlesnakes. As long as rattlers stay away from my yard, they are free to be. But venomous snakes are too dangerous to co-exist in close proximity.

As a young child I was taught to stay clear of certain snakes. The first I learned to identify was the coral snake followed by Eastern Diamondback and Timber rattlesnakes. On the High Plains of North America, I mostly encounter prairie rattlers although massasauga rattlesnakes can also be found. The latter snakes tend to be smaller. Both are venomous.

Markings of bull snakes and rattlesnakes are similar. The heads are both triangular although the rattlesnake is more so and narrows at the neck. As a defense mechanism, the bull snake can flatten its’ head making this factor unreliable. The eyes differ as well, but I wouldn’t want to get that close. So, the default is the tail. Beware of rattles.

Sophie the cat is quite the hunter. From time to time, she has competition from the bull snakes. She stays clear of the larger ones but sometimes challenges and even conquers the smaller ones. She was challenging the latest bull snake this week.

When bull snakes are confronted, they take on the characteristics of a rattlesnake. They coil as if they will strike, puff up and hiss. Sometimes they will mimic a rattle with their tails by shaking it against dry leaves. In the case of our latest visitor, only green grass was nearby.

However, we wanted to make sure. In the photo above, the eye is rounded as for a bull. But I did not get close enough to see in real life. It was the striped tail without a rattle that saved this particular reptile.

As you can see in the following videos, this bull snake did not want to get wet. After determining the snake was not a rattler, we wanted to discourage it from hanging around the patio. Spraying water in front of it was a surefire way to change its’ direction.

I believe this snake has been around for about six weeks. The grasshoppers that had ravaged my herb garden suddenly disappeared about that time. Additionally, I have heard rustling sounds lately on trips out to the compost pile. And a snake-sized hole appeared burrowing into one of the raised beds in the same area.

Since this is not a baby bull snake, my hope is Sophie will leave it alone. Then, I will have two hunters of mice. Bull snakes certainly have a place in my garden. I just wish they didn’t startle me so much.

Progressing Through the Season

Posted on October 12, 2022October 12, 2022 by Econogal

I am progressing through the season. The fall season is just a few weeks old but I think I have canned the last of the cucumbers. Today, I mixed Bavarian and Kosher Dill spices. It will be interesting to discover the taste in a month or two once the pickles are ready.

The tomatoes are still going full strength. New blooms continue, plenty of green tomatoes and a steady ripening of both paste and slicers. So, the garden is also progressing through the season.

The new asparagus bed is showing signs of fall. Just one of the two dozen plants is a female as determined by the red berries she is now producing. To be honest, I can’t remember if the package of roots claimed to be all males. But the bed dominated by males should guard against overcrowding while producing plenty of spears in the coming years. The new plants are nicely progressing through the season with fronds turning yellow.

This year I mixed a few tomatoes into the asparagus bed. However, harvesting was difficult since I did not want to harm the new asparagus. So, I will not repeat that experiment. Next year, I will harvest about a third of the spears to allow the plants to firmly root in.

Green leaves turning to yellow and orange. — Newly planted peach tree.

My fall clean-up will extend outside as well as in the basement. Beds will be prepared for winter. To guard against erosion, plants will not be pulled from the ground. Instead, I will clip the stalks at or just above ground level. Hopefully, this will prevent the strong winter winds from blowing away the soil. I lost my entire garlic crop last year due to winds over 100 m.p.h. (That is equal to Category 2 Hurricane winds.)

Next, I will add some compost and a covering of straw. This will enrich the soil and keep the temperature just a bit warmer. Cool spring soil temperature can delay transplanting into the garden.

Additional tasks will include trimming of branches, disconnecting hoses and of course raking of leaves…once they start falling. The trees are late to turn color this year. So, it is quite possible we will not have our first frost until November. Quite a change from 2020 when we experienced a Labor Day Freeze.

Mid-summer Tomato Plant Chores

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Econogal

Mid-Summer Tomato Plant Chores

A mid-summer tomato plant needs attention even though the tomatoes are still green. Suckers like to grow out between the main stem and branches at a 45-degree angle, so they are easy to spot. Suckers will not harm the plant, but they can make the tomato get too big for the space.

Therefore, I try to check for suckers on a weekly basis. It is best to pinch back the suckers when they are relatively short. Sometimes the suckers escape my notice. So, a mid-summer task is to spend one entire morning trimming back the tomatoes, both suckers and lower branches where leaves are fading.

Any suckers that have escaped my notice and are longer than an inch or two are carefully evaluated. If they already show signs of budding flowers they are left alone. Otherwise, I use clippers. The longer suckers don’t pinch easily and thus clipping causes less damage to the plant. Attempting to pinch a long sucker often strips the stem.

This year I have been focused on organization and decluttering. During my purging of unneeded items re: Lose the Clutter Lose the Weight, I discovered some bendable hair curlers in the girls’ bathroom. Instead of trashing them, I put them with the garden supplies.

Now they are part of the mid-summer tomato plant patch. Branching stems need to be tied to the supports to keep the tomato plant upright. This keeps air circulating around the plant deterring diseases and attracting beneficial insects. Furthermore, gardeners in a hurry don’t step (or trip) on ripening fruit.

After tying the plants and pinching or clipping suckers, it is time to add a little compost at the base of each tomato plant. I use either homemade compost or a commercial mushroom compost mid-summer on my heavy feeders. Tomatoes qualify as a heavy feeder. I just spread a fistful about two inches away from the plant base and water in.

Clippings without signs of disease can be added back into the compost. The whole process takes me the better part of a morning. It is quite satisfying restoring order to the tomato row.

Freeze Fresh Book Review

Posted on August 5, 2022 by Econogal

Freeze Fresh: The Ultimate Guide to Preserving 55 Fruits and Vegetables by Crystal Schmidt stood out on the new release rack at the public library. Almost two hundred pages of tips for freezing fresh produce. And recipes for the frozen products.

I love learning new things and Freeze Fresh provides a multitude. Did you know avocados can be frozen? Or that flash freezing keeps smoothie ingredients from forming hard to handle frozen blocks? But the idea I already put into play involves the freezer itself.

Home organization has been a key in 2022. But I overlooked my chest freezer. Schmidt recommends using heavy duty cardboard boxes like the ones copy paper comes in as organizers. Since I don’t have any boxes of that type, I substituted a banker’s box and a heavy-duty smaller box formerly housing my new modem.

The smaller box holds various types of nuts. I buy walnuts, pecans and almonds in quantity when they go on sale during the holidays and use then throughout the year. The larger box contains meats from the locker. In rural America, small independent butchers still operate and give grocery stores some competition.

After organizing my freezer in this fashion, I gained unrealized space, much needed since it is harvest time for peaches. So, I tried the flash freeze process.

The author offers two types of recipes. First are recipes for freezing. Think pesto cubes and B-B-Q sauces. The avocado falls into this category as well, although I have not tried this one myself. Along these lines are pie fillings and marinara type sauces. Schmidt’s suggestion of using stackable containers has much merit. My experience with spaghetti sauce frozen in baggies has been messy at times.

Freeze Fresh also contains recipes for the frozen produce once it has been thawed out. These recipes follow each section of the 55 fruits and vegetables. They are categorized as “For the Table.” So, if you are thawing out blueberries look in the section on blueberries for a few recipes.

Internet Rumors

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Econogal

Internet Rumors abound. The latest one suggests the country of Australia is proposing a ban on home gardening. So, I am including this link to actual parliament testimony for those of you interested in reading the propositions. I could see no outright ban on growing your own vegetables. But I admit I just performed a brief scan of the document.

However, I did see enough to understand how an Internet rumor could begin. Testimony included discussion of invasive species of both flora and fauna. Since I live in a rural agriculture area in the United States, such discussion was not novel. However, one of the species mentioned, horehound, thrives in my garden. I consider it less a problem than either oregano or mint. All three are groundcovers that spread.

The other plants mentioned in the testimony were blackberries, lantana and pampas grass. All are spreaders. Plants that grow where they are not wanted can be considered weeds. So even though blackberries are delicious, residents of the Pacific Northwest might find them as noxious as I do bindweed.

The testimony also discussed the problem of Asian Honey Bees and Fire Ants. I am not a fan of fire ants, but as long as they stay away from the house, I leave them alone. They are very beneficial in the garden eating many pests. The key is for nature to stay in balance. I would not like to have fire ants everywhere.

Asian Honey Bees are dominators. They eliminate other types of bees from their territory. Many governments restrict their import. But like other living things, such as viruses, the spread is difficult to control.

Several years ago an acquaintance voiced an opinion which greatly differed from mine. The belief is that growing food in the garden took away jobs for others. The impact goes beyond the farm owner and worker. The middle producers and the grocery store employees also depend on people needing food.

My argument is that I cannot produce enough to eliminate those jobs. My garden supplements but does not replace. And I have a big garden. Truly, I think most individuals do not realize the work it would take to be self-sustaining. For those, I suggest they find a copy of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations. Division of labor has led to both more productivity and longer lives.

The biggest reason I prefer to grow my own is the taste. Many vegetables bought at the grocery store are picked prior to a ripe stage so they can be shipped without damage. The result is the food is not at peak ripeness. When I pick from my own garden, I pick for that day. Only farm markets come close!

Other Internet rumors suggest various governments will tax home grown foods. Or prohibit them altogether. This is widely circulated without the details. As the saying goes the devil is in the details. Most of these incidents involve local governments or HOA’s. (Home Owner Associations) Restrictions may include no vegetable gardens in alley ways or front yards. Plus any seed packets are usually taxed. As are plants from the nurseries or the Big Box stores.

At the moment, I have had no push back for my big garden which is in my side yard. But I am proactive. A fence now separates the garden and the street. Furthermore, a new flower bed is in front of the fence. The garden house/green house is on hold because of permits and building costs. Our small town charges fees for almost everything. I will need to pay the city a minimum of a thousand dollars if I move a small building onto my property. The fee increases if it is built from the ground up.

The invasion of Ukraine and the pandemic are still impacting the supply chain. Supplementing my supper table with home grown vegetables makes sense to me. Since I live in a town on a small lot, goats and cows are out of the question. Furthermore, I am on the edge of town so coyotes can be a problem. Thus I will not attempt chickens. But I do look forward to tasting the first tomatoes of the year.

In my opinion Internet Rumors try to sow dissension and disharmony. I prefer sowing seeds. Both flowers and vegetables. Between the wars and pandemic there is enough strife. This summer plant some beauty and nutrition instead.

Hobby Farm Book Review

Posted on March 18, 2022 by Econogal

The city-to-farm exodus accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is evident in rural areas with rocketing home prices and a squeeze on housing availability. But life in the country is still a bargain. Many newcomers can benefit by the wisdom proffered by Ekarius. Because, outsiders need time to become insiders.

Ten chapters cover everything from agricultural history in the United States to developing business plans to worker safety. The approach is well thought out and the information flows logically. Hobby Farm stresses the different lifestyle found in rural living. So, for anyone truly interested in leaving traffic jams and shopping malls behind, the book is a must read. Since life can be difficult away from the convenience of city living.

The heart of the book begins with a chapter combining farm safety and the troublemakers farmers face. Here, Ekarius stresses the importance of disaster preparedness. For example, advanced planning is needed for fires, floods, blizzards and drought. And livestock operations make this critical. Barn animals cannot escape a fire on their own.

Farms and ranches face other threats. Raccoons can decimate a crop as well as a chicken coop. Coyotes target many types of livestock. The author utilizes a chart to identify the predators. And she presents the best ways to thwart attacks.

Personally, the most enjoyable chapters focused on gardening. Again, Ekarius includes helpful guides listing everything from companion planting to soil temperature for germination. Additionally, special topics receive highlighted sections. For example, information on seed saving is presented in this format.

Chapters on livestock receive similar treatment. Details from breeding to processing provide valuable information for the novice. Furthermore, Ekarius addresses the many government regulations involved in producing meat for consumption.

Small towns in rural areas are a microcosm of community living. Doctors, teachers and bankers live and work alongside farmers and ranchers. Many small farms are supplemented by the second earner both in income and health insurance. A hobby farm can be lucrative. But that is not always the case. Ekarius discusses the good and the bad.

The final chapter on agripreneurship is a winner. Marketing is a key component and is well presented. And the information on creating a business plan is thorough. Furthermore, the author offers up various types of agribusinesses and how to make each successful. An appendix of resources completes the book.

Hobby Farm is a fantastic resource. Carol Ekarius is knowledgeable and her writing is easy to understand. The subject material is vast. But not overwhelming. And the photos are beautiful. The book includes many charts. Also, the definitions are clear and helpful. Furthermore, recipes are an added bonus.

Anyone thinking of joining the city-to-farm movement will benefit from reading Hobby Farm. But, individuals who have never lived in a rural area are the target audience. Life hours away from a metropolitan area takes an adjustment in attitude. But, it can be done. I am living proof.

The Fall Garden

Prepping the Fall Garden before the Freeze

Winter is Next

Final Fall Garden Tasks

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January Sprouts Seed Catalogs

Favorite Seed Catalogs

No Signs of Seed Inflation

2026 Garden

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Keeping Artichokes Alive

Process of Overwintering Artichokes

Straw vs. Wood Mulch

Plan B

Clipping Artichokes

Artichokes after Clipping

Bricks around the Clipped Artichoke

Mulch Covered Artichokes

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A Busy Month

4th of July 2025

July 2025 In the Garden

Jersey Shore Journey

Growing Up at the Beach

July 2025 In the Library

Looking Forward to August

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Update on the Garden

Early Crops

Mid-Summer 2025 Fruit Crops

Root Vegetables

Mid-summer 2025 Tomatoes

Average is Okay

Cucumbers

Flowering Lettuce

Basil Ready to Harvest

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Another Month Passes By

In the Library-March 2025

Starting Seeds

March 2025 Quilts

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January is Planning Time

Steps to Planning the 2025 Garden

Second Step

Making a Diagram

Starting Seeds

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Favorite Root Vegetables

One Slip Survived from 2023

Yield

Sweet Potato Rooting

Sweet Potato Stem

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Fall is Here

Travel in September 2024

Fall Colors

Gore Creek

Silverthorne

In the Garden September 2024

In the Library

Final Thoughts

Daisy Mae

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Superb End of Summer

Reading and Writing

In the Garden

August 2024 In the Kitchen

August 2024 Wrap-Up

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