Garden Robber

Dana plants a garden at the edge of the field just east of my house.  When school starts she seems to end any garden work.  Last year there were a lot of peppers on her plants in October when a frost was expected.  I talked to Derrick and asked if they were planning to pick before freezing or if they wanted me to do it.  He told me Dana was going to pick them.  I left it alone.  It froze and she had not picked the garden before hand.  It was a very hard freeze.  I was very upset that all was lost when it did not have to be.

This year seemed to be the same.  Since mid August I could not tell that Dana did anything with the garden.  During September, I watched the plants and their production.  When the first frost was forecast, I checked the garden again.  Nothing had been picked so I went out late in the afternoon and picked the 6 quart kettle full of peppers. 

I sorted the peppers by type and put in bags and into the freezer.  This will be wonderful during the winter or to make salsa later.  That night we did have a mild freeze.  Mom's garden in front of her house had damage.  I could not tell that Dana's garden was hurt, though.  Maybe I should not have picked and left them there to see if she would pick them later.  Last week we had another forecast for a freeze.  I checked the garden and there were more peppers and a few tomatoes also there.  I picked again.  This is what I got this time.

There was probably another 6 quarts of fresh veggies but I put them in other types of containers.  They are also going in the freezer.  Once again Mom's garden was hurt more but Dana's was not.  The freezes have been very mild so far this fall. 

 

I kept the twins last night.  Layne saw these sitting on my table and asked where I got them.  I told him I stole them from his mama's garden.  That did not concern him.  He just wanted to eat some of the little tomatoes.  So maybe I can count telling Layne I picked their garden and his reaction to that as a confession and forgiveness.  You think?  Well, if not, this is my confession.  I do not like to raise a garden but I love to can, freeze and dehydrate its produce.  I am the Garden Robber.

 

Rose