This spectacular show from Mother Nature will beautify our landscape for just a few more days.
Nature has its’ own schedule. It will not be hurried; nor will it wait for you.
With the availability of almost every type of food year-round in the grocery store, people forget there is a seasonality involved in food production.
This week a customer asked us if our garden peas were ready yet. In fact, it’s still too cold and early to even plant the pea seeds.
Here are some suggestions of ways you can appreciate the season:
1. Eat local food. Look for “Local” on the signs in your store’s produce department. Eating locally with the season is bound to be fresh and nutritious, and is without the added environmental cost of extra transportation.
2. Go outside! At this time of year, such beauties as tree blossoms and birds’ nests are just waiting to be discovered and appreciated.
3. Think about planting some seeds or transplants, even if it’s on your windowsill or patio. Before you know it, it will be too late to start anything new for this summer.
4. Catch time in a bottle - take photos.
5. Consider freezing local delicacies such as asparagus and rhubarb to enjoy later- before they’re gone.
To everything there is a season. I’d love to hear what you enjoy about this time of year.
There are more things to do on the farm as each day grows warmer and summer approaches.
In the greenhouse, there is seeding, potting on (moving seedlings into bigger pots), and delivering mature tomato and herb plants to retail customers. (Note to self: remember to water the greenhouse plants while husband is delivering).
Outside in the fields there is ploughing to ready the soil for seeds and transplants, and fussing with the irrigation. (Note to self: remember to check the greenhouse plants while husband is ploughing).
In the farm office there are invoices to write and phone calls to return. (Note to self: check the greenhouse after take first deposit to the bank).
Back on the farm, check e-mail and weather on the computer. Check personal e-mail, browse a few favourite websites, surf away a significant amount of time while husband is off the farm....
I'm forgetting something. Now, what was it. It's so nice outside I must go out again.... wait a minute, the greenhouse! Uh-oh.
(Note to self: MUST make husband's favourite dessert...as soon as I get back from the greenhouse).
Spring has sprung; the pleasure and the pain.
This is our first warm spring day here on the farm.
I have to share part of the pleasure of spring with you.
I must wax rhapsodic about the clothesline.
There is nothing that says spring like the sight of clothes drying on the line, under a blue as sapphires sky.
It smells so good to breathe in the outdoors on the sheets and towels.
Good as in just bathed baby good, or even homemade bread just out of the oven good.
I recall the very first time I did laundry on my own. I was 16 years old, away for a week at basketball camp.
If there’s one place that necessitates a washing of the socks, its high school sports camp.
I went to the local store and picked up the yellow box of Sunlight soap, my mother’s brand.
Later, sitting in the laundry room, I stared at the soap box while waiting for the dryer to finish.
Why was there an image of a wineglass on the laundry soap box? Did mothers toast themselves after a successful laundry day or something?
It then dawned on me - I had used automatic dishwasher soap on the laundry.
It worked out alright, though. I had the whitest socks at camp.
Now I have part of the pain of spring to share with you.
Look at what is thriving in my back yard.
And this!
It’s still too cold to put any plants or seeds into the soil, and I have just this very day shed my winter coat for my spring one. And I’m weeding.
Do you share my pleasure? Or my pain? Tell me, I’m listening.
While spring seeding has begun, many empty greenhouse tables await their turn to hold green shoots of life.
By this time next week, many more of them will be full of small seedlings, basking in the sun.
It's going to be a busy week in there. Spring is coming!
