first frost warning

... FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 9 AM PDT SATURDAY FOR THE COAST
RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON... CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON... LOWER
COLUMBIA... GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA... CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY...
SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY... WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE... WILLAPA HILLS...
I-5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY... AND THE GREATER VANCOUVER AREA...

Which meant a quick trip to the garden to rescue what is possible before everything dies. Surprisingly, there were some good-sized zucchini and luckily they did not succumb to blossom end rot which happens so often when it gets damp and cold. Tomatoes are not ripening anymore but we harvested lots of green tomatoes for making chutneys and fried green tomatoes. There may be another batch of green beans (the ones that weren't forgotten and therefore grew to monster size) but I think it'll be only a small handful next week. I also nipped off the aubergines at a very small stage but they will be super in some stir-fry instead of being lost to a frost or rotting. Harvested enough large-ish carrots to actually get a taste of them before the guinea pigs get through them, and some more cucumbers. Got about 6 small ears of corn, which have now become the favourite piggie treat, husks and all - just as well, since there is not much on them.

The garden definitely has seen better days. I wonder if I get to harvest a winter squash before shutting teh garden down for the winter, they seem so small.

In the end the predicted frost didn't materialise in our area (although it dipped below freezing just outside Portland) but autumn is definitely here. Getting out to the garden before it gets dark is getting more difficult during the week. It was cold and my fingers started to get numb.