# January harvest



## begreen (Jan 17, 2011)

January carrots! Today we had a nice afternoon clearing and record breaking 56F temps, so we went out and picked these yummy carrots. They're sweetest after being kissed by frost. This is the first year we have provided year round carrots from our gardens. The first harvest was last February from the greenhouse and there's still one more planting left in the ground.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Jan 17, 2011)

Nice!   Can you put up a pic of your set-up?


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## xman23 (Jan 17, 2011)

Wow!! look at that. When I was a kid, my grandfathers house had a root cellar in the basement. They would put-up a whole winter supply of vegetable's. Wish I had the time to do this.

Tom


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## begreen (Jan 17, 2011)

There are some squash in the cellar that we have been enjoying. Still have several left. We have most stuff in the freezer, but did can up some pickled green beans, beets and lots of jam. 

Kath, I don't have a shot of the bed where this batch of carrots were growing. It's in the upper garden which is pretty conventional. The last batch waiting to be picked is in the new raised bed which provided most of our carrots through the summer. I don't have a close up of them, but they are in bed #3, with bed #1 starting in the far corner of this picture.


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## Jags (Jan 17, 2011)

BG - are you telling us that right now, outside, you have carrots growing??  I thought this was winter.  The only thing I have growing is snow piles. >:-(

Edit: by the way, the first thing that popped into my head when I saw those fresh carrots was: sliced into thick medallions with a bit of brown sugar and parsley then roasted to the point that they are still firm.  MMmmmmm.


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## smokinj (Jan 17, 2011)

Awesome set-up. +1 one on the snow piles.


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## billb3 (Jan 17, 2011)

I grow carrots in the Winter here in Ma.
They  don't grow fast , but they grow. Maybe best put as they grow in spurts.


Tried growing spinach in the green house , but they never got big, more like bonzai spinach.
Plus either a mouse or chipmunk ate them for Christmas. They  left me little rice sized presents.


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## begreen (Jan 17, 2011)

Sorry Jags, we are in a much milder climate. Some years no snow at all. So far this year we have had an inch of snow that lasted about 6 hrs. Then this warm spell came in and we've been in the 50's since last week. I haven't had a fire since last Thursday. But we also have fickle weather and it can turn on a dime if the jet stream changes course. Wish you could taste how sweet and crispy these carrots are. No sugar needed for sure. 

Billb, same here except instead of mice, slugs are getting to our bonzai outdoor spinach. At least your critters left you some fertilizer. Our greenhouse lettuce and spinach is coming along, no mice in there. The lettuce has already gone through a couple pickings. The secret to getting greenhouse spinach is to start it earlier so that it is already decent sized by Nov. But, don't worry, it will start growing rapidly as daylight time is increases.


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## Jags (Jan 17, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Sorry Jags, we are in a much milder climate.



Hmmmph - I'maa gonna retire one of these days, and it ain't gonna be in Northern Illinois. >:-(


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## Uper (Jan 17, 2011)

Nice haul!  I remember the trees in bloom in February when I lived in Portland.  Bulbs were flowering in March.  Now, we've still got a month of ice-fishing at that time of year!


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## Jags (Jan 17, 2011)

Uper said:
			
		

> Nice haul!  I remember the trees in bloom in February when I lived in Portland.  Bulbs were flowering in March.  Now, we've still got a month of ice-fishing at that time of year!



Heck - up there you get 9 months of winter followed by 3 months of tough sledding. :lol:

Edit: I won't be retiring up THERE either.


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## begreen (Jan 17, 2011)

Yes, we just did a walkabout yesterday. Himalayan sweet box is in full bloom (smells great), primroses too and some daffodils were already a couple inches tall.


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## fishingpol (Jan 17, 2011)

Jags said:
			
		

> Edit: by the way, the first thing that popped into my head when I saw those fresh carrots was: sliced into thick medallions with a bit of brown sugar and parsley then roasted to the point that they are still firm.  MMmmmmm.



Jags - Maybe a little butter and salt with it too.

BG - Thanks for the pictures to remind us that spring is only a few months away.  Nice set up.  I'd love to see some green right now around here.


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## mainstation (Jan 18, 2011)

I did the same thing two weeks ago, dug some beets and some Flakee carrots.  They do get sweeter if you can leave them in the ground.  I have done this for several years.  The trick is to top dress them like crazy with good straw.  I mark them with ribboned stakes and cover them with a good amount of straw in the late fall before the heavy frosts come.  
Enjoy.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Jan 18, 2011)

Wow what an inspiring set up!  Beautiful.    I keep thinking about putting up hoop houses, but haven't managed yet.    I used to live in your climate-Humboldt County CA and had a nice long growing season.  
Ceonothus  was common there and in s.Oregon where I did a lot of bird surveys.  I did love living and working in the PNW.


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## Thistle (Jan 18, 2011)

I have a bunch of garlic (under about 6" snow,last year at this time it was 24"+) that comes up every Spring.Some chives,curled parsley, couple leeks,a few winter onions,under the snow.A big rosemary bush in a planter thats 3 yrs old,I just bring it in to enclosed unheated glassed in south porch every Fall,it never gets below 25 degrees so the plant remains green & goes dormant until I set it outside on front deck in early April.Also 2 sage bushes planted last May,they replaced a huge 20 yr old specimen that died in Fall 2009.They are very cold tolerant,the leaves stay on all winter,some new growth appears in Spring.Lavender,Thyme couple other herbs that are perennial.Have to plant the usual stuff like carrots,different lettuces,spinach,other greens every spring,they especially like cooler temps.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 18, 2011)

I wish some of those carrots were resting in that huge pot of beef vegetable soup that I have that will be ready in about two hours. While I listen to freezing rain fall.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Jan 18, 2011)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> While I listen to freezing rain fall.



  Here too.   

All this garden talk.  I think I'll break out the new seed catalogs and dream of spring.


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## begreen (Jan 18, 2011)

~*~Kathleen~*~ said:
			
		

> Wow what an inspiring set up!  Beautiful.    I keep thinking about putting up hoop houses, but haven't managed yet.    I used to live in your climate-Humboldt County CA and had a nice long growing season.
> Ceonothus  was common there and in s.Oregon where I did a lot of bird surveys.  I did love living and working in the PNW.



Thanks, it's a work in progress. Last year was the first for those beds. It'll take a few more to get the soil just right there. 

I like Humboldt Cty a lot and we thought about it, but ya gotta be where the work is. You are in one of my early choices for best places to live in the USA. You'll be fine right there, just have to adapt to the local climes and setup shop.

PS: Temps started falling this afternoon and the T6 has been called back to duty. Winter's not over here yet.


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## Boozie (Jan 18, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> The last batch waiting to be picked is in the new raised bed which provided most of our carrots through the summer. I don't have a close up of them, but they are in bed #3, with bed #1 starting in the far corner of this picture.



What did you use for the walls of your raised beds?


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## jjames (Jan 18, 2011)

Boozie said:
			
		

> What did you use for the walls of your raised beds?


Wondered the same thing Boozie.... +1 BG......


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## Adios Pantalones (Jan 18, 2011)

That garden is a damn thing of beauty.  Are those pavers between beds?  Very impressed all around


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## Jags (Jan 21, 2011)

BG - it was -17F at home this morning and saw a -20F on the way to work.  I don't think I can grow a winter harvest. :smirk:


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## RNLA (Jan 21, 2011)

Hey Begreen stop telling them about the mild winters and tell them how we get 9 months of rain and how hard it is to keep your wood dry.... :gulp:  We don't need any more people comin in here thinking it's easy to live here. Your gardens are the acception not the norm!


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