Winter is Almost Here

The garden is ready for winter

The 2010 season is over for June’s Corner Garden. The last delivery was three weeks ago, just before Thanksgiving. And what with the three week gap to the delivery before that, the season feels long gone. Before moving on to anything else, I want to thank everyone who ordered from or was a part of June’s Corner Garden this year. Despite our lack of summer, it was a good season. I feel so lucky to have a job that I love to do so much.

Next year's Italian Farm House fava beans are getting started

The end of October and November were all about getting the garden ready for winter. Beds were cleared of summer plantings, cover crop was seeded, and a few overwintering crops were planted. Of course, there was weeding, too. There is always weeding to do!  Luckily, the weather cooperated quite well. There were enough dry days to get more beds seeded in cover crop than ever before. Though it would have been nice to get it in a little earlier in the season, even the last planting that went in the week before Thanksgiving is now showing up…despite sub-freezing temperatures barely a week after it was planted and despite the flocks of wild birds coming in to eat any seed that was still on the surface.

The wild birds descended on this bed, eating all the seed on the surface

Speaking of wild birds, not long after the last post about the birds eating our grapes, there was an article in The Oregonian about the trouble vineyards were having with flocks of migrating birds. I wasn’t the only one with this problem.  It seems that the wild berries and seeds that birds usually eat were not as plentiful, thus the need for another food source. First the grapes, then the cover crop seed. Maybe I won’t have to work so hard to think up a way to protect the grapes next year…as long as the wild food has a good year.

The girls haven't eaten all of the collards yet

Now about our birds. After the last delivery, I decided to let the girls free range. As long as they didn’t cross the road (which they did the last time they free ranged), they were free to roam the yard. They discovered the collards right away, which they liked. I had to quickly run out and cut some collards for us before they ate them all. Luckily, they don’t seem to like leeks. The earliest planted cover crop has withstood their scratching. Today they discovered the cover crop planted last and as long as they don’t stay in it too long, I think it will make it.

It is not official, but I’d say winter is here. Time to slow down, move inside and say thank you, one more time, for a great season.

The birds didn't get all the cover crop seed; a lot was buried and is now showing up