Winter in Vermont is long and cold. This year, our first snowfall came in November and we've had strings of temperatures in the teens and lower. Our Farm Store remains open, and our hens need special care, but it's also quiet with time for reflection, planning, and indoor projects.
Leading into winter, there was a host of activities to tuck the farm in for the season ahead. Asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, peonies, roses, and lavender were all heavily mulched under fluffy mounds of straw. Garlic was planted and mulched. Irrigation lines and timers were pulled up and stored. Plastic was added to the chicken coop and heated waterers were hung. The house was heavily weatherized, and storm windows were installed.
As we move through January, it's time to seriously focus on seed harvesting and seed inventory in preparation for ordering for the upcoming growing season. In our barn loft, there are buckets of seed pods that have dried and are ready to be cracked open and stored for planting. Cosmos, Poppies, Sunflower, Chamomile, Nigella, Snapdragons, Zinnias, Hollyhock, Calendula, Columbine, Gomphrena, and Celosia are just some of the seeds that are waiting to be processed.
Our plans for the coming growing season are worked out, and our seed-starting spreadsheet has been updated. We have a lot of plans for the coming year! Trees, bushes, and other bare-root plants have been ordered and will arrive in May for planting close to the expected last-frost date of May 13. Seed starting in the barn loft will begin in February, so things are already ramping up! Winter is long but our break is actually quite short!
It is a beautiful season, though, with spectacular sunrises and happy blue jays flitting around, enjoying the berries that are still on some of the trees. It's another wonderful season on the Farm.