December 27, 2008

Winter is for dreaming.  Dreaming of the return of the light, dreaming of the first hint of the apple blossoms, of the first emergence of the crocuses and daffodils, of the budding of the lilacs and forsythia, of the first bits of green on the grape vines and raspberry canes - and dreaming of the growing season.  Winter dreams are aided and abetted by the seed catalogs that are coming daily now.  The catalogs are full of temptation - gorgeous photos of tomatoes, peppers, beans, and melons adorn the pages of every catalog.  The hardest part of winter dreaming is deciding which varieties to order...so much to try and so little room in the fields.

The season ended gracefully and the fields are ready for spring planting - resting beneath blankets of cover crop, hay mulch, and snow.  Potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, garlic, squashes, pumpkins, and cabbages are stocked away and being gratefully used in warming winter dishes.  Asparagus soup and tomato sauces are stocked in the freezer along with sweet corn, herbs, and edamame.  One of the best parts of farming is not having to buy vegetables in the grocery store - the freshness and joy of summer are to be had only steps from the kitchen, even in the dead of winter. 

There are some exciting developments - Reverence Gardens is listed on the new veganic farming website - www.goveganic.net.  Check it out and also check out the other veganic farms listed on the site - please be sure to patronize these farmers if you live near by.  If you don't live near by please consider starting your own vegan garden.  This year Reverence Gardens will be featuring step by step instructions on how to grow veganically - from seed selection though seed starting, transplanting, fertilizing, weeding, insect control, harvesting, and storage.  Even if you don't have much room you can grow a few things and feel the thrill of working with the earth to produce your own healthy and peaceful food.

Keep an eye on the site - now that the chaos of shutting down the farm for the season, finishing final exams, integrating our two adoptive dogs into the family, and getting back into the corporate contract world has settled down I'll be adding updates on a more regular basis.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year and winter dreams filled with wonder and delight.