The Fall Garden 2016 got off to a slow start. It was still quite warm during the days, so some of the cool weather crops are struggling. Two kinds of spinach are doing well – Cholesterol and Longevity. These are good greens for the ducks as well. Some tomato varieties, mostly heirloom are not so hot, although the Chadwick heritage is doing well and the Big Boys look okay. The pickling cukes seem to only grow in the greenhouse…so that’s where they have been stationed. Broccoli and Cabbage are doing fine, too. The Pigeon Peas (second variety we planted, which is annual) are starting to flower and seed.

The rabbits love the Pigeon Pea, so we will be collecting those seeds for next year. The first type of Pigeon pea was supposed to be perennial and grow into a hedge. However, the plants were all stubby and the seeds never developed. We like the annual better so far.

The rest of the West Veggie garden is planted with Austrian Winter Peas…a great favorite in the barnyard, and one of our favorite cover crops as well. The entire Hilltop Garden, with the exception of the sweet potato bed is planted with A. Winter Peas for cover and nitrogen fixing. These plants put abundant amounts of nitrogen back into the soil, if you are careful not to let them flower and then turn them in before they do.