Summer harvest
Summer is winding down, which means the harvesting season is upon us. Since July through August saw very little rain, the garden had to be hand-watered every other day, which is no small task. Despite the dry summer, the green bean crop was abundant enough for us to be able to freeze a large amount for the winter months, and still have plenty to share with our neighbors.
The tomatoes and corn saw a good turnover, and the bees loved our beautiful sunflowers. The cucumbers we grew have already been turned into bread and butter pickles, and currently reside in the "Pickle Room." The potatoes and butternut squash will be harvested in the coming weeks. As fall progresses, our apples will be harvested and turned into applesauce, as well as canned apple pie filling, and our grapes will be made into jelly and jam.
Honey Harvest
The honey harvest is still underway, with the Beekeepers reporting pretty good results so far. The bees will now work into the fall. Around October we will feed them sugar water, and then let them "bee" for the winter. At this time the bees will expel the drones from the hive, and the queen quits laying a good deal of eggs, so that the hive population is smaller over the winter. They will form a ball around the queen to keep her warm through the winter months.
