Gourden Update: Last Stages

Here is how my gourden looks now. It's not long until this gourden will be done and I'll move on to the process of curing and prepping the gourds to be crafted. I've thinned the dead leaves and ones infested with aphids/ants. Most gourds have been harvested. There are about 8 left on the vine because they're still attached to a live vine, they are still very dark green, they are still heavy. This all means they have not begun to cure/dry out and it's best if the can do as much curing while still on the vine as possible. If they were being grown on sandy, dry soil I would let them cure completely on the vine, but because they are suspended from a canopy style gourden and we are in a wet, cold climate the gourds will either fall off or rot if they ae not taken off the vine to finish curing.
I've actually planted winter peas and transplanted kale in the barrels in anticipation of the vines being gone and the need for an alternate off-season crop. The job's tears in these barrels are still there, but have not produced viable fruit. Another jobs tear plant in a pot on the patio has produced only 3 or 4 good tears.