It has been a long and arduous fall. We sent our firstborn to preschool, battled back-to-back illnesses, and dealt with internet that suddenly stopped working. It has felt like the only consistency we’ve had is that if something could possibly go wrong, it would.

However, things didn’t slow down on the homestead just because life got hectic. We spent a good portion of the fall season working on clearing out our garden beds and planting a productive fall garden. Now that the weather is cold and dreary, it feels like a good time to look back and start planning for a new season.

December Garden in the high tunnel

Even though our garden is considerably smaller than it was in the spring/summer, we have been able to grow a limited number of leafy greens with varying success.

seedlings in high tunnel

The beginning of our fall garden in the high tunnel.

seedlings in high tunnel

Our middle bed had to be reseeded TWICE due to low germination rates. Luckily, all of the seed packs we bought had more than enough seeds to cover replanting.

Merlot lettuce

This Merlot Lettuce was actually one of the free seeds we got from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. It has performed best in the cold weather although we did lose it once the temps went below 0.

Marvel of Four Seasons Lettuce

While this performs wonderfully in warmer weather and is slower to bolt, this Marveille des Quatre Saisons Lettuce was our top producer.

Oriole Orange chard

The Oriole Orange Chard we grew was the first thing to come up.

Bok Choy

Bok Choy is our favorite thing to put in our homemade ramen.

Tom Thumb lettuce

This Tom Thumb Lettuce was probably our least favorite. It was adorable to grow, but bolted quickly in our unseasonably warm Missouri weather.

Little Gem lettuce

The Little Gem Lettuce was definitely a variety we will continue growing. It was refreshing, prolific, and performed well when the temperature dropped.

FORELLENSCHLUSS LETTUCE

We first tried this Forellenschluss Lettuce last year. It is quick to produce and a family favorite.

Looking Forward…

While this has been an unseasonably warm winter, we’ve recently received a considerable amount of snow and ice which successfully killed my remaining plants. Our high tunnel is currently unheated and was ill-equipped to deal with temps in the teens.

While it makes me vaguely uncomfortable not to be actively growing something, it feels like a good time to rest and start planning for the spring garden. February is the time that we usually start seeds like tomatoes and peppers, and soon we will work on expanding our front yard garden by almost 1,000 square feet. With food costs still on the rise, looking to cut costs is essential in keeping us on budget.

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