The threat of frost sends me out to the garden to glean the last of the veggies. As I don my jacket, I open the door and two streaks of striped fur dash between my feet. The kittens apparently are also concerned about the possibility of a frost and have decided to "help" me.
For some reason, even though it is October, some hibiscus have decided to bloom. We all stop to admire them; perhaps the absence of Japanese beetles permitted the blooms to finally develop. I continue on to the green beans while the kittens sample the hibiscus. At the top of the bean poles, I find enough beans to use in a stir-fry or a breakfast omelet. I finish dropping the beans into a basket, remove one of the kittens, and we all continue down the path to the peppers. Some flowers still bloom on the plants and some small peppers still need to grow; I pick the bigger ones and leave the rest to their frosty fate.
The Brussels sprouts attract the kittens' attention. A light frost will make the sprouts sweeter so I ignore them and lure the kittens away by going to the eggplants. Two eggplants! Into the basket, they go. The kittens have been distracted by the dill that has escaped from the herb garden. I start to pick it. Chip came up with a neat idea for having herbs all winter long. He cuts a piece of half inch PVC pipe and sterilizes it. We pick whatever herb we want to preserve, dip it in boiling water briefly and then ice water, and drain it well. Then he puts a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and we put the herbs on the plastic. He places the pipe at the end and slowly rolls the plastic wrap while I add more herbs. The roll is labeled and popped into the freezer to be used throughout the winter. This system works great because it doesn't take up much room in the freezer and we don't waste the herbs that we have nurtured all summer. As I pick the dill, I see a black, green, and yellow caterpillar. It isn't moving but it clings to the fronds of the dill plant. I am surprised to see a caterpillar in October. We have a ventilated butterfly container so I go in to get the jar. Then, realizing that I will need dill if I want the caterpillar to have something to eat, I go back to pick more dill for him/her. Another surprise awaits: a second caterpillar is munching away on some dill further down the path. Two sturdy twigs, some freshly picked dill, and the two caterpillars go into the container. I have no idea if the caterpillars can survive a frost but returning them to the garden after some research is easy.
I interrupt my picking to examine the rest of the dill. We are not gardeners who mind if flowers or herbs escape their designated areas. The dill is particularly invasive so my search takes me down the garden path's end. I don't find any more caterpillars but the fall carrot crop beckons me. Perhaps some of the late swallowtail caterpillars will be on the carrot tops. The search yields no caterpillars, even though the kittens stalk each row diligently. I let them think they are helping.
Back in the house, I shut the kittens up and get out the paraphernalia to finish the last of the apples. Chip has stolen an idea from YouTube which involves using a drill and a paddle bit to peel the apples. It is amazingly effective. A bit of snacking makes the peeling and coring pleasurable. My job is to take the peeled apples, core them, wash them and cut them into the cooking pot. Within a few hours, the apples are cooked and canned applesauce, flavored with chai spices and gleaming in pints on the kitchen counter. We are done canning for the season.
As I pick up the peels that have flown off the table during Chip's drill peeling-a small price to pay not to have to peel each apple individually-the kittens return. They have a riotous session of pouncing on the apple peels. I manage to get most of the peels despite the kittens' presence and sneak out the door to the compost pile while my oblivious helpers subdue any missed peels.
At the end of the day, the caterpillars have warmed up and happily munch on their dill dinner. Chip and I enjoy fresh, warm applesauce while we research the metamorphosis of swallowtail butterflies. And the kittens sleep the sleep of the just after their arduous gardening and canning activities.
For some reason, even though it is October, some hibiscus have decided to bloom. We all stop to admire them; perhaps the absence of Japanese beetles permitted the blooms to finally develop. I continue on to the green beans while the kittens sample the hibiscus. At the top of the bean poles, I find enough beans to use in a stir-fry or a breakfast omelet. I finish dropping the beans into a basket, remove one of the kittens, and we all continue down the path to the peppers. Some flowers still bloom on the plants and some small peppers still need to grow; I pick the bigger ones and leave the rest to their frosty fate.
The Brussels sprouts attract the kittens' attention. A light frost will make the sprouts sweeter so I ignore them and lure the kittens away by going to the eggplants. Two eggplants! Into the basket, they go. The kittens have been distracted by the dill that has escaped from the herb garden. I start to pick it. Chip came up with a neat idea for having herbs all winter long. He cuts a piece of half inch PVC pipe and sterilizes it. We pick whatever herb we want to preserve, dip it in boiling water briefly and then ice water, and drain it well. Then he puts a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and we put the herbs on the plastic. He places the pipe at the end and slowly rolls the plastic wrap while I add more herbs. The roll is labeled and popped into the freezer to be used throughout the winter. This system works great because it doesn't take up much room in the freezer and we don't waste the herbs that we have nurtured all summer. As I pick the dill, I see a black, green, and yellow caterpillar. It isn't moving but it clings to the fronds of the dill plant. I am surprised to see a caterpillar in October. We have a ventilated butterfly container so I go in to get the jar. Then, realizing that I will need dill if I want the caterpillar to have something to eat, I go back to pick more dill for him/her. Another surprise awaits: a second caterpillar is munching away on some dill further down the path. Two sturdy twigs, some freshly picked dill, and the two caterpillars go into the container. I have no idea if the caterpillars can survive a frost but returning them to the garden after some research is easy.
I interrupt my picking to examine the rest of the dill. We are not gardeners who mind if flowers or herbs escape their designated areas. The dill is particularly invasive so my search takes me down the garden path's end. I don't find any more caterpillars but the fall carrot crop beckons me. Perhaps some of the late swallowtail caterpillars will be on the carrot tops. The search yields no caterpillars, even though the kittens stalk each row diligently. I let them think they are helping.
Back in the house, I shut the kittens up and get out the paraphernalia to finish the last of the apples. Chip has stolen an idea from YouTube which involves using a drill and a paddle bit to peel the apples. It is amazingly effective. A bit of snacking makes the peeling and coring pleasurable. My job is to take the peeled apples, core them, wash them and cut them into the cooking pot. Within a few hours, the apples are cooked and canned applesauce, flavored with chai spices and gleaming in pints on the kitchen counter. We are done canning for the season.
As I pick up the peels that have flown off the table during Chip's drill peeling-a small price to pay not to have to peel each apple individually-the kittens return. They have a riotous session of pouncing on the apple peels. I manage to get most of the peels despite the kittens' presence and sneak out the door to the compost pile while my oblivious helpers subdue any missed peels.
At the end of the day, the caterpillars have warmed up and happily munch on their dill dinner. Chip and I enjoy fresh, warm applesauce while we research the metamorphosis of swallowtail butterflies. And the kittens sleep the sleep of the just after their arduous gardening and canning activities.
Today's post was written by Sandra DePalma-Odell. Sandra is a Certified Master Gardener serving Henderson, Knox, McDonough & Warren Counties. A former English Teacher of 27 years, she writes about everyday life as a gardener learning as she grows. In addition to gardening, she loves to read, cook, and hang out with her two grandkids.