Busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest

I think fall is busier than spring when it comes to the garden. Or maybe I'm just being short-sighted. It sure seems like we're busier. I am grateful for all the food we're harvesting...but sheeeeesh. I barely got my nap in today!

We pulled all the plants in the garden today and fed a lot of it to the goats.

some plants landed on one of the goats--oops

After consulting The Joy of Gardening, we figured out what to do with the dry beans. They'll sit on a makeshift table in the garage until they're dry. Then you stomp on them in a burlap bag to separate the pods from the beans---sounds fun! Bean Stomp Party!

bean-o-rama

The carrots were surprisingly plentiful. Keith thinned them out a few months ago, picking every 3rd one, but the conventional wisdom is to leave them in the ground until after the first frost---seals in the sweetness? (I don't know, that's what mom and dad say and since we're the amateurs we're deferring to them.)

Most of them were GINORMOUS and deformed (whatever you do, don't Google "deformed" ...just don't. I was looking for a synonym and I am scarred for life.) contorted.

not even the biggest one

this is how we wash the carrots

Also: grapes.
We called some relatives to glean the vines and mom picked enough to make a batch of grape juice.

We salvaged 4 more tomatoes and then loaded up the mule with the plants to give to the neighbor goats. The goats are getting fat!! They must love this time of year.

Then we made a house for the outside kitties out of scrap plywood and carpet. It's not winning any design awards, that's for sure. But it should help them stay warm in this freezing weather. We've been taming Carl, slowly, and dad's been chumming her with canned cat food. Everyone but Keith's been table to pet her, too. Hope she likes her new house!