Why Snow is Good and Other Winter Updates From Jess the Farmer
Now in the throes of Winter, we are finding ourselves blessed with snow covering the ground and temperatures worthy of keeping it frozen for months at a time. It is the best Winter we could hope for. If you love the white fluffy stuff, you’re in for a treat. We’ll have it around a bit longer this year.
Why is snow cover so good?
The Earth needs it. Our gardens need it. Plants and animals need it. The soil needs it.
Snow cover keeps up with the maintenance of healthy soils while we all hibernate. It serves as a blanket, a natural ‘insulator,’ if you will, blocking cold air from moving into the soil. It is especially helpful if the snow hits the ground before the Winter months get too cold, but it serves to protect the soil from deep layers of frost or ice crystals that will form in unprotected soils. This causes frost heaves following freeze-thaw cycles and along with areas of bare ground, creates a lot of damage which leads to soil erosion.
Snow cover is good because it protects the soil and prevents all of that damage.
An adaptation we’ve made since climate change has affected the frequency and quantity and quality of snow over the last several years, is not to leave bare ground. Our gardens are always covered or mulched before Winter, and we actually don’t clean them up or “put them to bed” as others would say. We leave them with plenty of vegetation and simply deal with it in the Spring. Why? Because the ground needs it. The local wildlife needs it. We only ‘clean up’ when we have something to replace it with. Never leave bare ground!
I know…. It’s the opposite of everything we’ve been taught. I used to have this argument with my husband all the time. Now he just accepts it. Ha!
On another Wintry note, since we grow plants AND raise animals, I thought it might be fun to let you know we are also welcoming new babies on the farm throughout the year, too.
First, in both January and February, the lambs started to pop, left and right, literally. And now it’s the goat kids! In March, April and May, it’ll be baby chicks of all kinds. Chicks, ducklings, and peachicks. Then, it will be the newborn calves in early Summer followed by the piglets into the Fall. And by then, it will be breeding season all over again!
It’s a full year, full cycle experience here at Cold Spring Farm! We continue to love what we do and we appreciate all your support throughout the year. We hope to be inviting you beyond the Farm Stand soon to share all of the fun with you!
Other Fun Updates From the Farm-- New Programs and Products
Our Farm Stand: It continues to be open everyday of the year! Be prepared for some fun expansions we are currently engaged in! You’re going to love the new look and feel of the place come Spring! New products include Terra Firma Farm yogurts and maple, chocolate and coffee milk-by-the-pint to go, as well as Salem Valley Farm Ice Cream, and Bagels from Standish Brook Farm Bakery! Come check out what we’ve got in stock! We are OPEN!
Food For Friends Program: You can now donate funds to feeding others in the community by selecting a donation amount at checkout via our website. Each month, we will put those extra funds toward a Harvest Bag of farm fresh products and deliver it to a local family in need. Every dollar counts and we hope to make a difference together with your generosity!
Jess the Farmer’s Recipe Club: We’ve just started this cool club for folks who like to cook! Jess the Farmer has finally compiled some of her favorite recipes and they are sent out weekly to members’ inboxes. We hope you’ll test these recipes out for yourselves and share photos of the process, or the final product! ‘Still not a member? You can join by contacting us through the website or by email at coldspringfarmct@gmail.com to sign up!