🍊 November '23 Garden and Seasonal Guide
Things get sweeter when its cold; Thuther's Pecan Pie, Satsuma Season!; and more in this months Garden and Seasonal Guide.
November is upon us… Wow. The end of the year can be a blur. I hope this little guide will be a blessing and encourage you to soak up the precious moments we have ahead of us this season.
Inside
👨🌾 Garden To-Dos for November
✔️ Timely Tips
🔥 Seasonal Living
🥧 In the Kitchen - Pecan Pie
🍊 What to Look for at Market -
🌕 Lunar Calendar and the Night Sky
📅 Calendar of Firsts
👨🌾 Garden To-Dos
❄️ Floating row covers! Have them ready. These will be used to protect your plants from the upcoming frosts and freezes.
🧄🧅 November is your last chance to plant garlic and onions. Last year I planted on the 2nd of November and they all turned out fine!
🥕 Generally, root crops like carrots, beets, winter radishes, and turnips can be stored in the ground throughout winter as long as they are mulched and covered with an extra layer of straw. Similarly, chard, chinese cabbage and leaf lettuce can be mulched and kept in the garden until ready. Many of these crops get sweeter after a frost or two. I say “generally” because every few years we get a really deep freeze and that can throw a wrench into what is normal. If the ground freezes, root crops will freeze and be ruined once they thaw. However, if you mulch heavily and cover your garden on these really cold nights, these crops should be fine. Last year, we dipped down into single digits multiple nights in a row and stayed under 32 degrees for a few days. My garlic and onions made it through just fine.
🥦 Keep harvesting your brocolli, cabbage, kale, collards and Brussels sprouts throughout the month as its ready. They will get sweeter as the weather turns colder.
🍅 Some folks might still have summer produce hanging around their garden. If so, this is the last call for harvesting any remaining tomatoes or peppers. Green tomatoes can be brought inside to slowly ripen indoors.
Timely Tips
✔️ Any outside pots, particularly terracotta pots, should be cleaned, dried, and taken inside out of the weather. Otherwise they are prone to cracking. The changing temperatures and freeze/thaw cycles that will inevitably come are hard on these pots.
✔️ Before you store any lawn equipment or garden equipment, it’s not a bad idea to oil your gas powered equipment, oil and sharpen blades, and service any equipment that needs it. Better to do it now than wait until spring when everyone else is doing it.
✔️ Order your seed catalogs now to start planning for garden planting in January.
✔️ Save fallen leaves for mulching in the garden throughout the year. I’ve been known to collect bagged leaves from the curb around my neighborhood!
✔️ If you are overrun with leaves, consider making/starting a compost pile. Fall is a great time for that.
✔️ If you have fruit trees, be sure and keep the ground underneath them clear of any fallen fruit. Take some time to go around and pick up any fruit that has fallen on the ground. This ensures you aren’t harboring diseases or pests and also not encouraging rodent issues.
🔥 Seasonal Living
November is a great time for bonfires. It’s getting cooler but isn’t frigid yet.
Also, the leaves are changing! It’s the season for hikes and for gazing at the beautiful fall colors adorning the landscape. Here is an early letter I wrote about leaves changing colors.
🥧 In The Kitchen
So… it’s Pecan Pie season. But not any pecan pie. It’s time for Thuther’s pecan pie.
Thuther’s Pecan Pie
“Thuther” was what we called my grandmother. Growing up, the name sounded normal to me. Still does. Eating her pecan pie year round was also normal! The recipe actually came from her mother who everyone called “Mama”. Five generations have eaten this pie now. I’m happy to be sharing it with you.
Also, using the “White Karo” is a bit of a controversy in our house! We don’t usually cook with corn syrup, but for this recipe, it’s a must!
Cook Time: 80 min
Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 90 min
INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs
3/4 cup of White Karo
3/4 cup of sugar
1 TBL water
1/4 cup sweet milk
3 tsp flour
3 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
1 cup of chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS:
“Mix and pour into uncooked pie shell. Cook on 300 degrees for 80 minutes or until done when tested. Do not cook for too long or too fast”
🍊 Shopping Guide - What to look for at Market
If you are in a community that has a year-round farmer’s market, take a second to be thankful. Many close during the winter months. Also, take some time to stop by and go shopping. Some farmers actually take the summer off and grow through the winter. You might be surprised at the variety of produce you find at your local market during the fall and winter months.
Crops in the cabbage family, such as broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, collards, kohlrabi and cauliflower, take on a sweeter, smoother taste after having a few nights of colder weather. This includes arugula, a salad green that is extremely peppery when grown in hot weather. However, when grown in cooler weather, it’s flavor is much more mild and smooth.
Root crops like carrots, winter radishes, and turnips also take on a sweeter and milder flavor after colder weather settles in.
Farmers will be harvesting sweet potatoes around this time as well. Unlike the crops mentioned above, sweet potatoes can develop off flavors if left in the ground during colder weather.
Lastly, Satsumas, my favorite fruit, are coming in now! Really sweet and easily peeled, this citrus plant is grown as far north as central Alabama. I’m curious to see how the satsuma market plays out this year. Last December we had a bout of really cold weather that killed the trees we usually harvest from when visiting my family in south Alabama.
🌕 Lunar Calendar and the Night Sky
During this time, the colossal planet Jupiter will reach its closest proximity to Earth, with its entire face illuminated by the Sun. This celestial event will make Jupiter shine brighter than any other time in the year, remaining visible throughout the night. It presents an ideal opportunity to observe and capture images of Jupiter and its moons. With a medium-sized telescope, you can discern intricate details within Jupiter's cloud bands, while a reliable pair of binoculars will reveal the planet's four largest moons as distinct dots on either side.
Similarly, Uranus will reach its closest proximity to Earth and will be brighter than any other time of the year in November as well. This is the best time to see Uranus in the night sky.
While we now have the comfort of winter coats and indoor heating, early settlers in Northern America faced the perilous risk of freezing to death during the harsh, dark winters. To ensure their survival, American colonists and Native American tribes relied on crafting warm winter clothing from beaver fur. Thus, November's full moon earned the name "Beaver Moon." As beavers diligently engaged in dam construction during this month, it signaled the opportune time to begin harvesting their valuable fur. This year the full Beaver Moon will begin to rise on the evening of Sunday, November 26th and reach it’s peak the following morning.
Taurids meteor shower peaks in early November but runs all fall.
Leonids meteor shower radiates out from the constellation Leo throughout November. This year it peaks on the night of 17th and the morning of the 18th.
📅 Calendar of Firsts
A calendar of firsts serves as a meaningful tool to celebrate and connect with the ever-changing rhythms of nature throughout the year. Its purpose is to document and acknowledge the first occurrences of various events and natural phenomena that mark the transition of seasons. By recording the first blooming flowers, migrating birds, or changing foliage, individuals deepen their awareness of the subtle shifts that unfold in the natural world. This heightened observation cultivates a sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our environment. Moreover, a calendar of firsts invites us to engage in a deeper relationship with the natural world, fostering a sense of connection, mindfulness, and gratitude. It allows us to truly immerse ourselves in the present moment and develop a greater understanding of the intricate cycles that shape our lives and the world around us.
November First’s to be Looking For:
Remember these are general examples for zone 7 in the southeast US. Specific occurances will depend on your regional climate and conditions. Keeping a personal calendar or journal will allow you to capture the unique experiences and observations of each month in your region.
First dip into the 20s? Have you dipped into the 30s yet? We have!
First hard freeze
First bite of fruit cake
First bite into a satsuma
First camellia bloom
First ladybug swarm - Usually happens on a warmer day after near-freezing temperatures occur in the fall.
Three year old Taylor was mighty handsome! And Morgan is correct, Fruit Cake is a December thing, not November.