Warmer weather and green means the return of spring! If you are like my family, you have started your early vegetables from seeds and they are well on their way. Every year we introduce something new to the vegetable garden and this year is no different. Last year we added rutabaga and salsify. This year we are trying out habanada plants. This is a habanero pepper developed by Dan Barber, chef and author of The Third Plate, that retains all the wonderful flavor of that pepper plant without the intense heat that can often make one lose track of the flavor for the heat. What new varieties are you looking forward to in your garden?
I am also preparing a place for a small scale plot of winter wheat in the fields near the goat pasture. This involves planting a ground cover crop (oats, field peas and vetch) that will be mowed down and serve as green manure with nitrogen fixer for the soil. Then I will plant the wheat berries sometime in September. I hoped to get it in last year but COVID did what it did to everyone. The best laid plans of mice and men…
Speaking of goats, once again we have three expectant does ready to bring forth even more life. It’s always a rodeo and makes for very busy weeks in spring and we look forward to it every year.
I hope you and your family are enjoying this change in the weather and the reality that hope springs eternal and we all hope for a return to normalcy soon.
As always, please stay safe out there.