<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/harvestsep18.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5230" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/harvestsep18-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>Summer is over according to the Met Office and so it is time to tidy up the vegetable plots and pick the last of the vegetables. There are many more green tomatoes left on the plants but I doubt they will ripen with the ever shortening days. The courgettes and runner beans have been very productive this year and I will be able to store the peppers for several weeks. The carrots have been a bit hit and miss - they need water and despite my best efforts during the very hot summer there hasn't been a consistent crop. After this picking I made a dinner consisting of runner beans, courgettes, carrots, pepper, fried onion, apple sauce and the only items not from the garden were the potatoes and pork loin.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/apple-harvestsep18.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5232" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/apple-harvestsep18-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>Once again the apples have cropped really well. I was under the impression that apples were cyclical with a good year followed by a mediocre season however that doesn't seem to be the case with the cox and bramley trees I have. I do need to prune them right back and train them to wires I put up earlier this year. It will take several years to get them fully trained and I might see a loss in crop but it will be worth it.

I now need to wrap the coxes in paper and store them in a cool spot. Some of the Bramleys will be pureed and frozen so I can make some apple crumbles during the winter.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/sad-birdsep18.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5231" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/sad-birdsep18-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>And helping me in the garden was this sad little bird. He flitted between the seed feeders and the base of the new Aspen tree where I was watering it less than half a metre away. It looked quite dishevelled and very unprepared for the autumn/winter onslaught. He wasn't bothered by my comings and goings but I was concerned the neighbours cats might take an interest. I shall make sure the bird feeders are well stocked for this little chappy.