Season of Wind, Change, Beginnings

The lioness quality of March has shown herself in the harsh cold and flirtation with winter.  Yet tender beginnings are all around, as well as some more dramatic ones.
  
Yellow-flowered winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) began to bloom all around our house in early March.  This Eurasian flower can provide some of the first food for bees waking from winter slumber. 

Our garlic is beginning to show green sprouts reaching for the sunlight through its heavy mulch. 

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Our flock of 15 red hens are laying beautiful, rich-yolked eggs and are beginning to truly enjoy the pasture, especially the common chickweed that thrives even in cold weather.  

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We've been spreading manure from our neighbors cattle and enjoying the frozen mornings because it allows us to drive on the field without compacting the soil.  


And it was finally was dry enough to break ground for the first time yesterday, using a 2 bottom International Harvest No. 8 "little genius" plow rescued from a pile of implements and a tangle of vines.  With some repairs and carefully applied hammer blows it is serviceable once again.

Stay tuned!  The farm is transforming rapidly and we will soon be planting.

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