In years past, this would have been about the time we put our raised beds to bed, so to speak. This year, there's certainly a change in what's happening out there, but I'd hardly call it a bedtime - there's still so much going on! Even post-first-frost, we have brussels sprouts, chard, kale, broccoli, beets and carrots that we are eating, enjoying and still waiting for. Not to mention things left to plant! I hope the garlic makes it in this week...
{The idea is that the turkeys stay behind the fence, not outside of it. Eating my kale. (Eating my kale!) They haven't quite got the idea of that fence yet. Or maybe they have. Did you know that turkeys love kale?}
And in the quiet spots, where crops have been pulled, harvested and plucked? We've been moving the turkeys through, so that they may all eat the garden 'leftovers' as they wish (thereby cleaning it up for us) and fertilizing next year's garden space all the while. I remind them each day to please, please eat up all those squash bugs so that they may never, ever return again (please and thank you).
{Some of us, as you can see, are still hanging onto last season with our attire. Ahem.}
Just outside of the garden are the 'new' spots - places where I plan to expand the garden just a little bit for next year. Last year, we had the pigs wintering here to 'turn over' the garden area, but this year, the new garden areas, after being visited by the chickens for a while, are being layered with cardboard, leaves, and compost. (A little bit of no-till gardening at work.)
The little ones are in on the action, too. With a big bag of bulbs (say that ten times) from the local nursery, this weekend, Adelaide and Harper began sprinkling tulips and hyacinths and daffodils along the newly extended rock wall, while talking of the spring days in which they'll see them pop up. Spring?
Oh, this late October garden is still bustling...with all the joy of now and the anticipation of what is to come.
