Right before I started to write this post I took some photographs to document the garden and my state of mind.
When I was fifteen I spent a summer living with my Uncle Henry and his partner Mary, both potters. My mother knew that aspects of school were hard for me and admired how I made things. She thought living with her brother would be just right for me, and she was right–it was life changing. As I prepared to write this post I went to take some photographs of my cold-frames. While I was taking the pictures I was reminded of a story my Uncle Henry told me that summer. He saw me peering into a kiln before it had properly cooled. Henry laughed and said that I reminded him of the story of a famous Japanese potter who in his late seventies was out peering into his kiln before it was cool. It is hard to wait for a cooling kiln and it is hard to wait for spring.
I went out and peered in the cold frames to take the pictures below of arugula, lettuce, and kale. I was not surprised that the arugula and kale had survived the winter, but that head of butter lettuce and how good it looked did surprise me. I had picked almost all of the lettuce in early January but had left a couple of plants as an experiment. Well, the lettuce did just fine. I think we had enough snow cover when it was really cold so snow and the cold-frame kept it nice and blanketed.
By the end of March the cold frames will be off the kale and perhaps the arugula as well, and substantial food will be coming out of the garden.
But the big news around here is that the Fedco Seed box arrived! It was a hard year to order seeds from Fedco due to a huge demand and it took over a week and two delightful telephone calls with a great person at Fedco to help me place my order, which included seven ounces of carrot seeds. Google tells me that there are anywhere from 11,300 to 34,000 carrot seeds in every ounce, so I have between 80,000 and 240,000 carrot seeds and I want to get them out to you!
My goal is that 80 of you will request seeds. Here is the seed order form to get your seeds and to join Carrot Day 2021!
Be well and keep in touch,
Love Ted
Carrot Day Massachusetts 2022 