The Tides of March

So, what happens when March comes in like a lamb and is swallowed by the lion on its way out?  The lettuce turns to watercress in the cold frame, that's what.  I learned an important lesson today, the hard way: observe where the high ground lays and plant there!  Right now, our lettuce seedlings are getting drenched and there is not much I can do about it, except hope they will survive and wait to see. Our town must be anchored in place by its trees, or I think we would float downstream.  The water table is currently about two feet below ground level, as I found out while digging holes for my fence posts between rainstorms last week.  At least, it was that deep before the umpteen inches of rain we've received over the past week.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  I figure that as long as it is snowing in the mountains that surround our valley, the fish, fowl, and farmers will have water longer into the summer, which might ease some of the pressure of government over-regulation that plagues us here.  But in the meantime, my lettuce is swimming!  Swimming, I tell ya! All hysterics aside, I did almost complete my deer fence; just one more gate to build, and a strand or two of wire to put above the six foot high orchard fencing.  I figure if a deer is going to jump over an eight foot fence, there is really not much I can do to keep it out, except that it might be healthy enough to eat. Fuwhip! goes the crossbow.  Just kidding....kinda.  So, along with everything else, digging garden beds, planting seedlings, etc., my deer fence will just have to wait until the Tide of March goes out.    

Opportunities A-Brewing!

Like the late winter storms swirling about, much has been brewing on the "steadfront."  Not as much in the way of actual gardening as I had hoped for a month ago, but it's still wet and cold out there.  I did get some oat and clover seeds planted in part of the pasture in hopes of replacing the weeds with a more useful green manure crop.  And my partner and I have been nursing seedlings of lettuce, kale, broccoli, and FINALLY our tomatoes, which just needed a little warmth in front of the heater, apparently.  A cold-frame is next on the to-be-built list, so the lettuce has a place to grow.
Outside the garden, we have been developing some local food-independence opportunities. The first opportunity is a subscription to a CSA, or community-supported agriculture.  For less than $60 per week, our family will get fresh produce, half a dozen eggs, rice, and honey and then, each month, 8 lbs. of organic, locally-grown beef and two whole chickens!  The second opportunity is a "cowshare," which is a group of people who buy a milk cow together and share the repsonsibilities of milking and caring for the cow.  So, we'll have fresh milk, butter, and maybe even yogurt and cheese!  The third opportunity is a farmers' market that my partner and I are organizing with some other locals and hoping to get off the ground at the start of summer.
And we've been busy in the kitchen, too, cooking with food from the local co-op!  I made two loaves of bread last night and cornmeal pancakes this morning.  Today, I will make some cornbread to go with chili a friend is bringing to an organizing meeting for the farmers' market! 
But first, I'm going to go play in the dirt, er, mud, now, after the rain last night.  There's a deer fence to build, garden beds to plot and dig, compost containers to construct, cold-frames to build.....you get the picture!  Plenty to keep us busy and healthy!