A Harvest and a Beautiful Wedding

Fall is upon us and as the lower temperatures creep in, it is time to make sure the garden is put to bed for the winter.

We didn't have a huge tomato harvest this year, because I hadn't consistently trellised and harvested the plants as they grew. I don't know where the Summer went and I didn't get nearly as much time in the garden as I usually like. This is ok with the tomatoes though because last year was such a huge harvest, I still have bags of frozen tomatoes stocked in the freezer. 

This was the first year I had tried growing both carrots and beets. I neglected the beets too long, so they turned tough and woody. No good. The same thing happened with a couple of the carrots, but with the majority turning out ok I ended up getting a whole bucketful!

 Yeah, the center of these giant carrots were pretty tough and woody. They were a bit bitter too. Lesson learned for next time!

Of course the carrots look better when scrubbed clean...

Then I cut them to about the same size and blanched them for 3 min. 

"Blanching (scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short time) is a must for almost all vegetables to be frozen. It stops enzyme actions which can cause loss of flavor, color and texture." - National Center for Home Food Preservation

After blanching, I vacuum sealed them in smaller bunches. While probably not the best for straight eating, I think they will be good in stews and soups. 

Another thing we did recently was go to a beautiful wedding. I did a TERRIBLE job of remembering to take pictures. All I got was the amazing cake (which was super tasty too) and the head table where you can kind of see the beautiful grounds outside.
The reception took place in a huge open structure but had enough rustic looking trusses to still be warm and welcoming. I love the simple but bold colors and decorations they used. They really let the location and the couple shine while maintaining a level of elegance.