Life on a farm, no matter how big or small of a farm, has rhythms to it. No matter what, you are impacted by weather, rain or drought, temperature, insects, wind, and so many other factors.

Right now, right here, we are gearing up for a new season of  gardening. While it is still cold in Vermont, so cold the wood stove is still going, we are almost to full garden season.

Already, we have two different rows that have lettuce, spinach, radishes, beets, kale and chard planted outside. One was started more than two weeks ago, one yesterday. Both rows are covered by small hoop houses to give the seedlings a little more warmth. Extra hoop houses have also been deployed outside to the spots where we plan to plant our next early crops, so they can warm up the soil a bit.

Inside, we are in full swing. We have four different kinds of sprouts growing so that we can add nutrition and depth to our salads. We also have seedlings for tomatoes, peppers, basil, zucchini and yellow squash, cucumbers and carrots all growing on our grow shelves, ready to go outside when the time is right.

As many of you know, this year we made the decision to use old seeds (seeds from previous years) for our garden rather than just throwing them away. So far, they are doing just wonderfully!

If you haven’t already done so, go plant something today!

Several of you have reached out lately about how to start a vegetable garden. Now, if you live in the northern part of the United States, overall it is too early to plant most things outside.

But what about inside? Yes, you can start seeds in pots now to have seedlings for the garden this summer. But if you aren’t ready for that sort of gardening, the best thing you could try right now is sprouting seeds, such as greens, in a sprouter. Amazon or your local farm supply store are likely to have counter top sprout growers, and most of them come with a small package of seeds specifically designed for growing in them. Don’t use packaged garden seeds for this, as they have been treated to go into the soil. You want to get seeds specific for sprouting. Then, soak them overnight, drain and put in your sprouter. A couple days later, you will have fresh sprouts for your salad or sandwich, and you’ll have the satisfaction of growing some of your own food!

For me, growing my own food gives me a sense of peace and safety that few other things do. Try it and see if it works for you too!