Can You Believe It?

Pretty amazing that spring  is in full force in March, here, in zone 4!   The Bloodroot  in the little wildflower garden by the big rock in the woods is in peak bloom.

Red dogwood is leafing out.

I wasn't sure the Virginia Bluebells in the  back yard would even come back after the drought last fall, but they made it and are budded out.

Daffodils are blooming like crazy near the future garden shed. I cannot wait to tackle the garden shed project, but  lots of other things must come first.

Garlic is up - the rows a bit disheveled  from chickens scratching around last fall before I laid the fencing down to deter them.

Sugar Snap Peas have poked through. Ordinarily it would be too early to plant anything in the garden, but the seed packet says "plant in early spring as soon as soil is workable " and it certainly is.

I have also taken a bit of risk and planted various lettuces, which have sprouted,

and purple radishes, which are up.  Spinach, scallions and beets are also sprouting.

In the high tunnel we are still harvesting brilliant yellow-green  biondi di lyon chard, planted last fall, and  further back, baby leeks.

The spinach keeps on giving and giving, and we are devouring it in salads, soups, green smoothies,  colcannon, quiche and on sandwiches, as well as selling some to farm visitors and to the co-op.

Tomatoes and other flower and veggie starts  have been moved out into the high tunnel and seem to be very happy there.

I have begun repotting some into paper containers as they grow too large for the seed blocks.   These are Earliana and Gold Medal tomatoes, Birdhouse and Snake gourds, and  Milkmaid nasturtiums.

Stepping outside the greenhouse, the main pasture is lush and growing fast, but the grass is only a few inches tall.

It simply cannot grow fast enough for the cows, who often gaze longingly at it over the fence.  ("Why won't she let us in there??!")  I have over-seeded it with a pasture mix and want everything to be well-established before the bovines start yanking it out and trampling it with their big hooves.

Not everything about spring is idyllic. Wood-ticks are out.

We already found tent caterpillars in the prairie (I'm hoping they will make an nice spring feast for some birds!)

The long-awaited yellow magnolia blossoms are just barely beginning to open,

while the white magnolia blossoms are already past their peak. They were just buds a few days ago, reminding me how important it is to pay attention and savor every fleeting moment of  spring, my very favorite season!