April 2, 2021
Do you feel it too? That surge of energy as spring awakens? It’s rolling forward even in spite of fits and starts like today’s low chilly temps after the balmy teasing days we enjoyed in late March.
We took advantage of that unseasonable warmth to get the long rows of raspberries and blackberries pruned, thinned and cut back. Our friend Alex came and pruned the plums and pears and old apple tree, then tackled the grapevines. Elisha transplanted some black currants and elderberries and renovated the asparagus bed. I removed the straw mulch from the garlic to help them stretch to the sun, then added the straw to the strawberries to slow them down (so they don’t flower early and produce fruit that’s susceptible to frost.)
I started 3 small waves of seedlings - the hard thing is holding myself back from starting too much too early - and I’m bursting like a seed to start more. April is always a wonderful month in the greenhouse, between the smell of the soil and the warm humidity and the joyful sight of baby seedlings.
Ralph and I worked 3-4 days a week in the kitchen putting up preserves and mustards and we’re also having fun making pies and cakes. He adapted his dark chocolate cake recipe to fit the baking cups we use for PattiPies and fills them with whipped cream and chocolate buttercream. We call them “Dark Chocolate Moon Cakes” and offer them occasionally at Tiny Farmstand.
Speaking of Tiny Farmstand, we’ve decided to open it now every day from 10-6. We have a tiny heater for cold nights, but more important, a small refrigerator for Moon Cakes and a small freezer. We realized that we didn’t want to commit to always baking for every weekend, and that people love pie and cake every day of the week. By freezing PattiPies and Moon Cakes, we can offer them every day. I’ve also made a batch of Blackberry PattiPops and will be adding more fruits regularly.
Mail order has been super busy and I’m happy to say that the USPS seems to be back to its old dependable self with no hold-ups (YAY!)
The wood frogs and peepers are singing in the ponds and the phoebes have returned noisily and begun building their nests. Goldfinches are goldening and robins are Bob Bob Bobbing along. We still have bird feeders up in the sweet cheery and French damson and these trees are always filled with woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmouses and chickadees.
Abbey is as happy as ever - especially when the girls come - and it’s harder to get her in at night with all the sounds and smells of the season stimulating her imagination. She makes sure I get my exercise as we make our rounds several times a day, and she likes pointing out anything that’s different or new.
I feel a surge of optimism with the surge of spring and a restless energy. I send this hopeful optimism out into the world. I feel that things are getting better and that hopefully, the worst days of the pandemic are behind us.
Sending Spring’s energy and lots of love to you and your families!
Patti and Ralph and Abbey
First waves of seedlings sending out green energy into the world!