Along the Colorado Front Range, the vegetable garden season came to an abrupt close last week as we experienced our first snow along with a wild temperature swing that broke records. The 2019 growing season was a challenge. Spring snow lasted until late May and all the plants were slow to start. But we finally started enjoying harvest season, albeit a couple weeks late.
On October 11, with low temperatures and snow in the forecast, I pulled the last of our tomatoes, green beans and other garden vegetables, enjoying the 80 °F weather. That evening as the temperature plummeted and snow began to spit in the wind, we consoled ourselves with fried green tomatoes. My go-to method has been pan frying, but this time I deep fried them, a process I will definitely repeat with future green tomatoes. The slices were flavorful, juicy and sweet with a light crisp crust. A dipping sauce of home-cultured sour cream and balsamic vinegar reduction was the perfect accompaniment. The next morning we awoke to 17 °F and this scene.
On nice days I sometimes employ our deck table as my writing desk, but not that day. I turned on my office space heater and shivered my way through some editing.
I typically pot some of our plants, which gives some plants with a longer growing season a fighting chance indoors late in the season. Before the storm, I brought this beautiful poblano chile plant inside where it is gracing our kitchen sink area. I'm now debating whether to obtain some grow lights and get a little more serious about growing food indoors.
Before the storm the fall foliage was just gearing up, with a portion of the cottonwoods quaking and rustling in bright gold but still many green leaves. Now the leaves are muted versions of green, gold and brown, rattling and crackling in the breeze. The sound in this footage is not wind, but rather the leaves.
Here's what the Boulder National Weather Service reported about the abrupt weather change:
Here's a summary of the records set during the recent storm. Two of them are quite remarkable. 1) Breaking the record low today by 13°! 2) Tying the second largest 2-day temperature swing on record. #COwx pic.twitter.com/e6eoYu1bDB
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) October 11, 2019
Thank goodness we received this haul of gorgeous tomatoes grown by the mother of my son's friend. The growing season continues in our minds and mouths!
