The Spring rains have arrived and with them comes a bursting forth from the land.
We got all the seeds in the ground early this year, earlier than we ever have before for this high desert climate, risking a late deep freeze in trade for the potential of three extra weeks of growing time.
Looking ahead at the 10 day forecast it seems as though we made a good gamble as no evening temps should dip below 50* and none have for a couple of weeks now.
It feels wild to bank on climate change when planning our plantings but here we are.
And yes, yes… there are normal cycles to our weather patterns that offer warmer years than others, but it all feels very different now, ya know? Despite the vast majority of people who have largely ignored the IPCCs warning for years.
And on the flip side, we did lose all the orchard fruit (well, with the exception of a few apples on a few trees and the two sour cherry trees) due to a 23* dip right before I put the first seeds in.
It’s all a guess and a bet, you know? Despite our hard-won knowledge coupled with the science of it all.
But I digress.
Watching tiny seedlings spring forth from the ground is a feeling of hope like none other and tempered only by the satisfaction of harvesting delicious foods tended to with your own hands.
And it’s moments like this when I sit in gratitude and humility, when I happily remember why we started down this whole Grow Your Own path.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the months of weeding ahead of me aren’t my favorite…
And the cost of farming is ridiculous (to our bottom line and my body)…
And the uncertainty of our climate future is quite scary…
But the trade off is always worth it, and maybe even more so in the face of climate change, continued supply chain issues, and the poisoning of our lands and foods.
And so, with the wild roses in full bloom, the bees buzzing about, the blue corn reaching it’s beautiful ribbons towards the sky, and more Spring rains in the forecast to fuel it all, I’m just so grateful to have the opportunity to work with the land and to grow a portion of our food.
Wishing you a lovely week ahead, Friend! I do hope you’ll have the opportunity to get outside as much as possible 🙂
xoxo,
M
Growing even only a portion of our food is indeed something to be very grateful for! it does feel like the weather is a gamble nowadays. I also opted to plant outside earlier than most, I lost a couple plants, but most survived. That’s life 🙂 Best of luck this season!
Hi Maria! It is truly all a gamble, but well worth it in the end! I’m glad most of your plantings survived the shoulder season and hope you have a wildly bountiful harvest!