This winter has been full of surprises.
Not necessarily the kind of surprises that make you go "wow" with a super excited exclamation mark for emphasis.
It has been the kind of winter many people my age have described as "how winter was when I was a kid."
It's true.
Lots of snow and cold, winter sports, if that's your thing as well as shovelling and cancellations.
I heat our house with wood, having a back up oil furnace, used only when I have no other choice. Even after ordering an extra cord this winter...no surprise here....I've run out. There is more on the way tomorrow, thanks to a nearby farmer who bring it down on a manure spreader and spits it out into my drive for stacking.
A surprise for me this winter was my cistern whose water froze into a nice big block of ice. In my 19 years living here, that's a new one on me.
Another surprise was my inability at certain times over this winter to get into my greenhouse where, lo and behold, my greens were still surviving and growing albeit very slowly.
Today is a different story though. It's hard to resist a sunny winter day, and after lunch I hit my hoophouses. I pulled back the ag fabric from my crops, and it's apparent to me that the mustards, arugula and other crops know that spring is coming. They have jumped now as the days grow longer and the sun shines a bit more frequently.
Also hard to resist was the temptation to lay down for a while on the ag fabric, my face to the sun, jacket stripped just to drink in a bit of faux summer. It feels so good.
It really does make me think spring and plans for spring.
Again this spring I am holding my spring planting workshops, "Sowing Seeds for 2014." If you are interested in growing your own from seed this year, these are a good chance to come, sow and learn.
There are three dates this year, Sundays March 16, 23 and 30 from 2-4 pm. All these dates still have openings, but if the previous years are any indication, in the last few weeks, they fill up quick quickly.
For registration information, please check my website HERE
These workshops are very informal, fun and have always been attended by great people-like you!
We will sow seeds for tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, and there will be some other options for you too if these don't make you happy. You will also pick up an additional 10 vegetable seed packs for direct seeding in your garden. We'll talk about proper seeding techniques, how to grow on all your choices in your home garden and quite a bit more. As you may suspect, I will talk for the entire two hours, but I really hope people come armed with questions too.
We'll be working in one of my larger hoophouses on the greenhouse tables. If the sun shines, it will be warm, maybe even hot. If not, it may be chilly. Come dressed for any temperature eventuality and come prepared to get dirty.
All seeds, soil, containers and refreshments are provided by me.
I will also be offering the very same workshop at the Royal Botanical Gardens as one of their public programs. For information and registration information, please check HERE It is called "The Complete Vegetable Garden"
Hope to see you here-or there!
Not necessarily the kind of surprises that make you go "wow" with a super excited exclamation mark for emphasis.
It has been the kind of winter many people my age have described as "how winter was when I was a kid."
It's true.
Lots of snow and cold, winter sports, if that's your thing as well as shovelling and cancellations.
I heat our house with wood, having a back up oil furnace, used only when I have no other choice. Even after ordering an extra cord this winter...no surprise here....I've run out. There is more on the way tomorrow, thanks to a nearby farmer who bring it down on a manure spreader and spits it out into my drive for stacking.
A surprise for me this winter was my cistern whose water froze into a nice big block of ice. In my 19 years living here, that's a new one on me.
Another surprise was my inability at certain times over this winter to get into my greenhouse where, lo and behold, my greens were still surviving and growing albeit very slowly.
Today is a different story though. It's hard to resist a sunny winter day, and after lunch I hit my hoophouses. I pulled back the ag fabric from my crops, and it's apparent to me that the mustards, arugula and other crops know that spring is coming. They have jumped now as the days grow longer and the sun shines a bit more frequently.
Also hard to resist was the temptation to lay down for a while on the ag fabric, my face to the sun, jacket stripped just to drink in a bit of faux summer. It feels so good.
It really does make me think spring and plans for spring.
Again this spring I am holding my spring planting workshops, "Sowing Seeds for 2014." If you are interested in growing your own from seed this year, these are a good chance to come, sow and learn.
There are three dates this year, Sundays March 16, 23 and 30 from 2-4 pm. All these dates still have openings, but if the previous years are any indication, in the last few weeks, they fill up quick quickly.
For registration information, please check my website HERE
These workshops are very informal, fun and have always been attended by great people-like you!
We will sow seeds for tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, and there will be some other options for you too if these don't make you happy. You will also pick up an additional 10 vegetable seed packs for direct seeding in your garden. We'll talk about proper seeding techniques, how to grow on all your choices in your home garden and quite a bit more. As you may suspect, I will talk for the entire two hours, but I really hope people come armed with questions too.
We'll be working in one of my larger hoophouses on the greenhouse tables. If the sun shines, it will be warm, maybe even hot. If not, it may be chilly. Come dressed for any temperature eventuality and come prepared to get dirty.
All seeds, soil, containers and refreshments are provided by me.
I will also be offering the very same workshop at the Royal Botanical Gardens as one of their public programs. For information and registration information, please check HERE It is called "The Complete Vegetable Garden"
Hope to see you here-or there!
