Still, the farm looks a little messy—“spring cleaning” came early as we ransacked the sheds, pulling out what we haven’t used in order to donate or recycle it. With the high winds and wet ground, the less-healthy trees have fallen to make way for new growth. It’s muddy, though, and we’ve been unable to get a truck on the farm to haul everything away. Like much of our winters (and probably yours, too), we must be patient and wait.

But waiting is not always idle. While we put our heads down and plan, the soil is still working just beneath our feet. Our cover crops of choice, clover, rye and vetch, have started to poke their heads up, keeping our no-till soil from washing away during all this rain. These carbon- and nitrogen-fixing plants work double-time to both sequester atmospheric carbon (helping keep our air clean) and keep nutrients in the soil. Once we’re ready to plant, those nutrients will be recycled into our crops.

Overhead, the geese pass by every morning. They’ve come a long way from up north, and they’ve still got a ways to go yet. They can occasionally be spotted taking a long rest on our front lawn and chatting to each other. It won’t be long before they return to nest in the spring.

We hope your New Year is full of big plans and new growth to come. If you stop by the farm, come and say hello to see what we’re planning for the year ahead!

— Becca