First planting for 2009

Buttercrunch lettuce, pak choi, Bloomsdale spinach and some variety of broccoli seed all went into the cold frames this past week. No signs of germination so far and today we have an inch of snow with more expected overnight. Lows will be back in the teens this coming week, too. May be a while before we're eating those fresh greens...

Elsewhere around the garden daffodils have popped up and the forsythia is loaded with buds. I brought some forsythia branches in for forcing and really wish I had at least one pussy willow to use for the same purpose. If it's not too late (if the buds haven't started opening) I'll cut a few branches from the pussy willow on my mom's pond dam this week and then let the cuttings root for later planting here.

Also must decide this week on our order of tree seedlings available thru the local soil and water conservation office. I know we want to add more red twig dogwoods and highbush blueberries. I'd like to include elderberry, service berry and chinquapins, too, but I know I could probably find seedlings of all those along the field woods if I looked so may go with just the dogwoods, blueberries and a witch hazel -- I love those spidery yellow petals that appear in late fall. So nice to see them just when everything else is losing leaves and color.

DH and I are signed up to attend an Extension Service workshop next weekend, "Mow is Less," which is touted to equip owners of 1-10 acres to be better stewards of their property. The program cost, $30 for a couple, includes the all-day workshop, lunch, a resource cd and a copy of "The Woods in Your Backyard: Learning to Create and Enhance Natural Areas Around Your Home." I came across a description of the book last year and had it on my list to purchase so considering the manual costs $20 it seemed like a deal for the workshop combo. Perhaps not a true permaculture course but the closest thing offered in our neck of the woods to date.

It's beginning to feel like spring around here even with snow falling.