Hump month 2009

The month of time from mid-February to the equinox, is when we really can let out of a sigh of relief in regards to how hard we worked last summer.  Did we grow enough food for ourselves and our livestock, store away enough firewood to last through the dark days?  We never want to be too sure, an extended cold snap can gobble up the hay and firewood in nothing flat it seems.  To us, the the longer days signal light at the end of the tunnel, and soon it will be time to begin harvesting that sunlight again.

We have been having snow almost every day, but it is usually gone by late afternoon.

Despite the wintry weather, the garlic is sending up it shoots to remind us that spring is around the corner. 

The stored onions and garlic are holding out well. 

Raspberries still wearing a little frost from the freezer  hit the spot for a Valentine dessert.
 

The gap between the hay and straw in getting larger.  We put the hay in the barn so the best hay will get fed out last, giving the cows the best feed for late pregnancy. 

Charmant hybrid, no cover throughout winter, unheated greenhouse – some freezing damage.

Cabbage has been our mainstay for fresh mild greens this winter.  I planted several types to see which was the hardiest and held up the longest.  I also cut some and stored them in a make shift straw bale root cellar, and I left some intact in the greenhouse.
 

Charmant, after out leaves removed.

January King OP, no cover throughout winter, unheated greenhouse, minimal freeze damage. 

Ruby Ball hybrid, no cover throughout winter, unheated greenhouse.  Some freeze damage to outer leaf wrappers. 

But peel back those outer leaves, and the heads are tender and beautiful underneath.

Ruby Ball hybrid, cut in November and stored in straw bale root cellar.  The outer wrapper leaves are dry, and the cabbage looks great underneath, albeit a little drier. 
It was a grand experiment to see which method was the most desirable for us.  All the cabbage is sweet and tasty, making for a mild cole slaw with carrots and onions and a light vinaigrette.  Seeing how good the cabbage I did not harvest came through, cutting these and storing them was more work, and some spoiled before I could use them.  Unless we were expecting colder weather than we received this winter I think I would rather leave the cabbage intact and harvest as needed. 

Even though we are making do sometimes, adding sauteed cabbage with caramelized onions to our chicken enchiladas doesn’t make us feel like we are going without, more like we are doing the right thing and eating well from our winter stores. 

The kale that didn’t get broken off by the greenhouse collapse is doing well, providing us with plenty of greens. 

The chicory is doing well, although with the snow cover is driving the birds into the greenhouse and they are helping themselves to the greens.

All the other greens succumbed to freezing, after making it to January.  So we are down to bitter greens and coles.  But spring is on the way… finally.

Next post – garden plans.

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