Some of the last things we harvest in the garden each fall are Concord grapes, hardy kiwis, and winter squash. This year all of those things were harvested in late October.

The fresh fruit was very welcome because we have all been craving fruit like crazy. I love the smell and taste of Concord grapes. They taste like the essence of PURPLE. Do you know what I mean?

The Concord grapes growing in our yard have seeds in them. At one point in time I was nuts about the addition of the crunchy seeds (and they’re so good for you), but our whole family prefers seedless grapes these days. Now I want to plant a seedless Concord grape because there is no other flavor like it.

Our favorite thing to do with seedless grapes? Freeze them. My grandma froze grapes and they make the most delicious treat. Have you ever frozen grapes before?

We planted hardy kiwis in our garden years ago to have fresh fruit late in the season. We waited years, first getting a few handfuls, and then larger harvests each year until finally harvesting colanders full of hardy kiwis each fall.

We always have fun delighting friends and family by handing them a ripe kiwi to try when we are in the garden. People are so amazed at the little treats and get so much enjoyment from them.

You can eat the whole kiwi, skin and all, like a grape. As with the grapes, they are also good frozen. The kiwis are delicious when they are fully ripe, but when picked too soon they can irritate our mouths a bit.

We lost a male hardy kiwi plant last year, and replaced it with a new plant this year. We have two female plants and two male plants for cross pollination.

The last to be brought in with the October harvest was the winter squash.

The pictures above were from last year’s harvest, when we grew a variety of winter squash in all different colors. That is what we do most years, but this year we grew only one type of winter squash, Candy Roaster. Over the last few years, Candy Roaster has become our favorite winter squash to grow.

The new winter squash comes when we have finished up the last of the previous year’s winter squash, which works out well. Our family enjoys winter squash baked, with simply some butter or coconut oil, and a sprinkle of salt on top. Another way I use lots of winter squash is baked in muffins.

What about you? Have you been bringing in fall harvests from the garden, or enjoying fall treats from the farmer’s market? What foods do you look forward to in fall?