spring hopes eternal

During the first ten days or so of February, we enjoyed 45- 56 degree days, 10 hours of daylight, basked in warm sun on our faces and hopefully we watched as the hellebores, crocuses and snowdrops revealed their spring inspirations. In that instant we were drawn to early spring tasks. Digging into worm laden soil, cleaning up forgotten fall messes and starting seeds; the earliest of flowers and vegetables; sugar snap peas, sweet peas and our favorite greens. In the next instant, it is 26 degrees by night and maybe 40 degrees by day. As much as we long for spring, nature has a way of reminding us it is mid winter, on the way to spring, but not spring yet.

As a farmer, many of us have a drive to provide spring greens as early as possible because we are all starving for that earthy taste of fresh harvest. So we take the risk. We seed and pray. We put seed trays on heat and cover them with blankets during these 25 degree nights.

For the back yard gardener, it may be just a wee too early, so keep cruising your seed catalogs, go to your local seed share or seed swap and keep imagining what your garden will be this year.

There is no pressure to seed or plant too early, seedlings will catch up as the sun gets higher and the days longer. I tell myself this over and over again as I hear about other farmers who are weeks ahead of me.

Ah well, everything will catch up. We might even catch up to ourselves. While I am waiting for everything to catch up, a heat mat and blanket sound very appealing. Or a hot cuppa on my favorite coffee porch.

~ by Karen Biondo — Owner of LaBiondo Farm and Kitchen