Autumn (at least in the Northern Hemi) Harvests

What is coming up/ has come up in your autumn gardens? What are you most excited about? What's been the biggest disappointment? What's been the biggest surprise? What's giving you the most pleasure?

My first ever autumn planting fits all all those. I have been so excited about this, for a couple months! I planted my saffron crocus just about 3 weeks ago. I was nervous, because I figured it was too late, but did it, anyway. On Tuesday (significant to me, because it was both my son's and my pup, Charlie's birthday) Iwas surprised, because the first blossom opened, and it was lovely! There are 25, in all, and every single one came up, but most haven't opened, yet. Last night, we had storms, and most of the opened ones broke off, so that's my disappointment. On the other hand, none were so damaged that I couldn't harvest the saffron from them - and the majority of them have yet to bloom, so I'm VERY pleased there are more of these little beauties to come!

And, just hours later, my micro-harvest has doubled, with still more coming! W0000t!!

Beautiful saffron Carla: congratulations!
I've been so busy harvesting apples, pears and prickly pear that I paid no attention to anything else in the last few weeks. However, now that their little leaves have fallen, I have noticed an abundance of Goji berries that are easy to strip off the naked plant stems. When mature as they are in late fall, the goji berries are really flavorful. Some ar drying on the plants for winter eating like raisins. The plants spread around the yard so finding the orange berries in hidden spots has been a real joy.

I love gogi berries! They will supposedly grow here, but I've never seen any. Then again, the same goes for pawpaw - both are on my list of things yet to come!

Carla Burke wrote:I love gogi berries! They will supposedly grow here, but I've never seen any. Then again, the same goes for pawpaw - both are on my list of things yet to come!

I must have done something wrong. My goji bush got it's first berries last fall and they were so bitter that no one could eat them. So when one of the kids accidentally smashed the bush during the winter and it died, I wasn't too sad. But I keep seeing people talking on permies about how much they love them. What should they have tasted like?

Jenny Wright wrote:

Carla Burke wrote:I love gogi berries! They will supposedly grow here, but I've never seen any. Then again, the same goes for pawpaw - both are on my list of things yet to come!

I must have done something wrong. My goji bush got it's first berries last fall and they were so bitter that no one could eat them. So when one of the kids accidentally smashed the bush during the winter and it died, I wasn't too sad. But I keep seeing people talking on permies about how much they love them. What should they have tasted like?

Maybe they just weren't ripe, yet? I've never had them fresh - only died, like raisins, but they're... a bit tougher than raisins, a bit chewier? I think they're a tiny bit tart, a lot sweet... They're addictive, and great in baked goods. I don't have any specific recipes, I have just thrown them in wherever, instead of raisins, or dried cranberries.