It’s been cold these past few days, with a dusting of snow just to remind us that even when we’re this close to spring, the weather still has a mind of its own. We’re grateful for the pause, though. It gave us a chance to catch up on the small day‑to‑day things that get set aside when the outdoors calls.
We retreated from the tent to the porch and then inside the house altogether for a bit. Today, though, feels like a doorway into another stretch of unseasonably warm days. We’re grateful for that too. We’ll pull the row covers off the brassicas, check on how they weathered the cold, and let them stretch again in the sun and breeze.
Our Spring Celebration is this Saturday, March 21, from 9AM–6PM.
We’ll have a few baked goodies to sample (breads, muffins, cookies, cakes, hot cross buns), hot coffee and tea, ice‑cold lemonade and iced tea, and the firepit going to take the edge off the early morning chill. There will be chairs set out so you can sit a while and enjoy the warm breath of spring.
Jo, our resident herbalist, will give a talk or two by the fire on medicinal herbs at 10AM and 2PM. She’ll share some information about basic medicinal herb preparation, choosing the best, safest herb, and the benefits of a variety of herbs you can use to support your health and wellbeing.
If you’re so inclined, we’ll have some broom straw we grew a few years ago and walk you through how to make besoms (hand brooms) – and you can take what you make home to use!
Trees are blooming—far too early, but there’s not much we can do about that. Maybe they’ll be alright, but it’s too soon for that kind of hope. Nature is confused, and honestly, so are we. It shouldn’t be this warm this early. And yet, here we are. All of us learning, again, how to adapt.
Inside, the seed trays are waking up. The cucurbits—cucumbers, squash, and their kin—are sprouting. So are the solanaceae: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. Okra, sunflowers, nasturtiums, and a handful of others are poking through the soil too. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll transplant most of them into small pots so they can build strong roots before they head to the garden.
We also discovered a new plant in the backyard: creeping speedwell. It’s native to Europe and Western Asia and considered invasive here because it spreads so easily. It might make a good lawn‑replacement plant, though. We’ll need to decide whether to let it roam or lift it out and keep it contained in pots. A little study is in order before we choose.
There’s always plenty to do around the farm, but it’s the rhythm of this life that keeps us growing year after year. We hope you’ll join us sometime between now and Sunday. We’ll close this Sunday at 5PM and reopen again on Friday, April 24—and you’ll find us at the Nicholasville Farmers Market on Saturdays starting April 25.
Spring is coming, in its own way. We’re here for all of it.