Monday, September 24, 2012

Harvest Helpers

Back when I was working in Toronto, doing a lot of packaging design in my graphic design career, I worked on a product by Bernardin called "Harvest Helpers." I came up with a bunch of wordmarks for them, and I can't even recall if they actually used one of them! Anyway, I've got different harvest helpers in m life now....


... like my beloved chicken Charlotte, who loves to sit on my shoulder and snuggle! She also looks to me to rescue her when she's being pursued by an overly-randy rooster. Wait, I think "overly-randy rooster" is redundant!

We were supposed to get a frost last night (and we did) so we brought in all our squash, pumpkins, potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. I got lots of pumpkins, including white ones called "Lumina." 


We got a couple of wheelbarrow loads full of these beautiues. The greyish one on the right is a Grey Ghost squash, from seeds given to me by my friend Ronna. She grew some last year from seeds given to her by our mutual friend Sigrun. She even made an amazing garden birthday cake with some of the squash!

I accidentally pulled the stem off the squash in this pic, so I plan to eat it soon.


Here's my other harvest helper with some of the bounty!



We also dug up some the Yukon gold potatoes, and the red ones whose "breed" I forget! And I found some tomatillos lurking out there too.

(Note chicken butt sticking up near top of wheelbarrow!)



These year I tried growing red seeded citron, which is a heritage melon


Very pretty, but they aren't eaten raw. Traditionally they were used in citron preserves. My friend Eugene has promised me his secret family recipe!


I thought the vines were particularly pretty. That old carpet on the left is being used to mulch weeds.


Here's Gordon digging for taters. The chickens LOVE it when we garden. They run around snapping up the worms and other bugs we unearth.



A boy and his chickens. You can see Lord Gaga and Beaker in there. We fenced my vegetable garden this year, not to keep out the deer, but to keep out the dogs. My dogs are FIENDS for tomatoes. They don't care if they're green or red, unripe or bursting. They were decimating my tomato plants every summer, so I finally got fed up. Gordon and our friend Bruce put up a great fence. On the downside, I think I may have created a bunny sanctuary in there, but they do less damage than the dogs! Many a summer, we'd be looking for Tristan (or Sophie!) after putting him out for a bedtime pee. I'd take a flashlight down behind the barn, and find him happily inhaling tomatoes in the dark!


Gordon found some old kale in there, which he gave to the ducks.

 And here's my favourite chicken again. Ssssh, don't tell the others!


She's really sweet and will sit on my shoulder or lap for ages. She likes to be petted. 


Holding this pose is a good shoulder exercise! Excuse my filthy shirt, the result of the aforementioned potato digging.



The macro got a nice shot of her beak!


And I couldn't resist a picture of handsome Beaker...


Hope you're enjoying some autumn bounty, wherever you are!

And here's a lovely shot from the pumpkin harvest in 2009...



Yes, no shame. Not at all. I'm oh-so-classy!

42 comments:

  1. That's a nice set of gourds, there, girlio!

    Your harvest looks amazingly delicious.

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  2. A girl can dream, can't she? HAHAHAHA!

    I can't wait to eat some of that Grey Ghost squash. We had some taters last night.

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  3. The last shot is how "The Duchess" was inspired.
    Jane x
    PS Loved this post!!

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    1. I need a fake mole and lots more hair! ;)

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  4. You really have a lot of fund doing your harvest! And then there are the onlookers and those who get a free lunch when something moves. Must be something lacking in your dog's diet for them to eat tomatoes but then whey do they eat grass?

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    1. Red, they all kinds of nonsense! Grass, tomatoes, duck poo, chicken poo, rotting carcasses... there's no accounting for tastes! ;)

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  5. Charlotte is so cute and nice. Oh I can see a grey pumpkin, me like *smile*.

    Hugs

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    1. I love all you grey pumpkins! I'm slowly turning into a grey pumpkin myself!

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  6. Do you ever miss the city life, Natalie? You seem to have adapted so well to country living and bringing in the flocks. The picture with her on your arm should be on the cover of some Healthy Harvest Magazine. I love it. It's frame-worthy. Regarding the last photo...I had them when I was pregnant and miss them now. *sigh*

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    1. Not a bit Deb! If I need a fix, I just drive to Ottawa or Montreal, but I'm done with city life! I lived right downtown in Toronto and Montreal for many years. It was fine when I was younger but now I love the peace and quiet and empty spaces here. Just wish there were a few more good restaurants around!

      I could fix you up with a couple of pumpkins of your own! ;0)

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  7. Whistling girls and crowing hens
    Always come to no good ends.

    An old rhyme, just popped into my head. But, you weren't whistling and Charlotte can't crow.

    Lovely pictures.

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    1. Thank you Joanne. I love the rhyme.

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  8. The pictures with you and Charlotte are beyond adorable! I have never seen a chicken being so cuddly. And what a great harvest you had!

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    1. Sandra, I had Charlotte from the day she hatched and handled her a lot, plus she really seems to enjoy the human contact. Not all of them do!

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  9. nat
    that first photo is stunning!
    and the ones of hubby are good too ( he's a dish but dont tell him I told you)
    by my fav is the one with you and the "jugs" you daft sod

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    1. Thanks John! I just love that chicken. And I'm quite fond of my bearded dish, too!

      ANd ah, "daft sod"! I haven't been called that since my Mum was alive. Brings back funny memories. Thank you! :)

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  10. Anonymous5:18 pm

    Nice pumpkins Knatolee. What next? Gordon showing us his tomatoes and courgette?

    I await with trepidation.

    And I'm surprised Beaker even gives you the time of day if you keep rescuing the lovely Charlotte from him

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    1. Don QuiScottie, you naughty man! His courgette is private! I'm the scandalous one in the family. You may be waiting awhile, unless i get him really, really drunk.

      Those roosters are never impressed when I rescue Charlotte!

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  11. Wow. I've heard them called "melons" but never "pumpkins." Must be the Canadian name for them.

    Interesting that we're both a little fixated on boobs today. Speaking of which, well not really, I'm enjoying autumn bounty through you. Another wonderful post. I've never in my life held a rooster or chicken (or even touched one... except on my plate). The photos of you and Charlotte are heart-warming.

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    1. Yep, it's another Canadianism. LOL! I have very small pumpkins....

      Glad you are enjoying my blog, Mitchell! I am going to catch up on yours momentarily. I wish I could give you Charlotte to cuddle. She's very sweet! They are all very soft and pleasant to touch. The ducks, of course, are soft like duvets!

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  12. That's so funny about the dogs and tomatoes - our dogs would never touch tomatoes!

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    1. Your dogs were smart!!! I've never had tomato-loving dogs before and I still find it odd.

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  13. Anonymous11:25 pm

    The dogs like tomatoes? I wonder why? Lovely pics of them below, btw (tried to comment yesterday but was having internet issues ...)

    As for that last scandalous photo. No wonder Charlie Sheen can't keep his webbed feet off you. And I must say, Beaker is a looker!

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    1. Why do these dogs like tomatoes? An excellent question! And it doesn't matter if they're green, they don't care. They also steal the chicken's pumpkin and watermelon, if they get the chance. They are both really big on fruit and veg. Tristan goes NUTS for apples. Strings of drool from muzzle to ground!

      It's not just Charlie Sheen. Hannibal and Oedipus think I'm hot too. Ooops!

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  14. I loooovvvvvvveeeee those chickens! and Beaker is very handsome!

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    1. He has a LOT of attitude for a little rooster!

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  15. First, love the pumpkins! And, I love how the "ladies" help with the harvest. Obviously, they've heard the fable of the "Hen and loaf of bread;-)".

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    1. I think they have! They are really cute when they "garden."

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  16. Those grey pumpkins are beautiful. I went to check on my own crop recently.... no weight to them. I think they musty be hollow.

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    1. The grey ones are supposed to be good eatin', so I'll let you know! I hope yours aren't all hollow. I was a bit surprised ours did as well as they did, given how dry it was this summer.

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  17. I love all photos but the first is really lovely!!!

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  18. Love the chicken sitting on your shoulder, arm and whatever else is available. I am so jealous of all your fresh foods. I used to garden. Nothing better to eat than the spoils our of a garden. Great pictures.

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    1. I always grow too much but it's so darn good!!

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  19. We brought in all of our potatoes too. We were in drought all summer, but are amazed at how well they did.

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    1. It was pretty dry here, but not as bad as in the US. Still, I too thought it would affect the potatoes, but apparently it didn't! And welcome to my blog. :)

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  20. hi there, not sure how you found my blog but I am really glad that you did... led me right back to you. I am looking forward to checking in to your blog on a regular basis!!

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    1. Too bad I have a middle-aged three-second memory because I've already forgotten the path I took to your blog, but I love it! Thanks for stopping in. :)

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  21. Anonymous9:57 pm

    "Chicken on my shoulder makes me happy. Chicken on my shoulder makes me smile." Sorry, John Denver's song popped in my head when I saw that first photo. Quite a harvest. And I only got 2 small, split tomatoes off my four heritage plants. I was warned with a "tsk, tsk" by a local person when I told her I was trying heritage tomatoes.

    Congrats on your bounty and your bountyfulness (last photo).

    janet

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    1. Thanks Janet, that's been running through my head for two days, hahahaha!

      That's too bad about your tomatoes. Did the drought affect you much? I've always done pretty well with them!

      Alas, my bountyfulness is all fake! ;)

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  22. Loved this post. Gordon in the garden with all the chickens was so funny. Yours gourds were very impressive and Charlotte is oh so sweet!

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    1. THose chickens LOVE to help us "garden." Glad you like my gourds! ;) And I do love that Charlotte. Hope she lasts for a few years yet!

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!