We are moving into the last weeks of summer which means harvest time is just around the corner. We’ve been harvesting quite a bit all throughout the season but things like the pumpkins, potatoes, cucumbers and corn still have a little ways to go before they are ready.

The corn is almost there, though. In fact a few cobs are ready to pick now.

By next weekend the bulk of it will be ready for eating and freezing. The following weekend we should be harvesting most of the potatoes in the raised bed. The potato tower is still a few weeks off but that will be here before we know it.

The apples are getting close to ready, too.

The weather is turning fall-like already and I think the hottest days are well behind us now. The forecast calls for mostly high 70’s for the foreseeable future, which I am NOT complaining about because it means I can get out there and spend more time doing what I love without risk of heat anaphylaxis.

I may even finally get to go on some nice hikes and run the pups with the buggy now that the heat wave has broken. Fingers crossed!

The lettuce and early girl tomatoes are still producing like mad and I couldn’t be happier with both this year. We’ve been harvesting them both for weeks now and they just keep on giving us more.

The carrots are almost there, as well, and most of them are starting to push up out of the soil letting us know it’s nearly time to pull them.

The cornish cross have been harvested (a nice way to put it!) and the ducklings are getting bigger by the day so they’ll be next to go in the freezer.

If you’re new here and haven’t read me raving about the flavor of Muscovy duck, then I highly suggest you try it if you can get some. Mucovies are a “beef” duck so they have red meat and they taste like London broil. It is absolutely deeelicious! I actually prefer them and the pheasant to beef and chicken.

Our new flock of buff Orpingtons are going to be starting to lay soon, which means we’ll have an overstock of eggs to share and sell again. We are down to just five of the Wyandotte layers now but there are fifteen or so of the buffs that will be in the laying boxes soon, so we will be getting about a dozen a day or so since they are such prolific layers. We do eat a lot of them, but we like to share, too, especially with the dogs (who can eat a dozen a day easily!) so it’s nice to have so many again.

Of course some of them we are letting get fertilized since we’re keeping a rooster this time. I’m anxiously awaiting to hear the boys start crowing any day now. There’s just something so soothing to me about roosters crowing!

And they are super nice and friendly for a change! Every time I go out they come up to me and want attention which is neat. Now that the temperature is better out there I’ll be able to spend more time with them and that will make us both happy.

Of course winter will be here before we know it and while the garden and coops will be under a few inches of even a few feet of snow again, it will mean that I can get out even more and spend time with the sled team doing what we love most.

I can hardly wait for the first snowflakes to fall! ❄