The Quickening

On the Farm:

The sheep have slowed down, their bellies are round and full as they come close to the end of their pregnancies. we should have some lambs in the next week or so (I hope). Our hens too, have started to lay more and are spending more time inside their laying boxes. Some are getting “broodyish”, wanting a clutch of chicks, I’m guessing. Rhubarb is starting to push up from its root crowns, the grass is starting to actually grow, and spring bulbs like crocus and daffodils are sending forth leaves.

This is called the Quickening, a term widely used as far back as the Middle Ages, but mostly forgotten now. I like the term, as it makes me think that we are a part of something greater, that we are a part of a cycle of life, death, and renewal. On the farm it is all around us, and hard to forget. The mice too, have started to wake up and have babies. I haven’t yet gone out to the greenhouse this morning to see if they have gotten into my flats of spinach, kale, and lettuces that I set out yesterday. I’ve surrounded the trays with mousetraps, but this time of year can be difficult for little succulent greens. The mice reproduce like mad! Our cat however, is still mostly asleep…

Roadside Stand

We still have eggs every day and two types of kale greens, but the carrots are finally finished as well as the squash. I have put out collard greens a couple of times and they have disappeared, so I will continue to put them out. Fresh local greens are hard to come by right now. The Purple sprouting broccoli is waking up and starting to grow, but it will be a few weeks before I have it out. They are one of my favourite springtime treats, so sweet, so abundant and delicious. I’m hoping to do a seed crop this year, so I can offer them next year. Everyone who gardens should grow this “hunger gap” food. I’ll talk about that another time.

Seeds

The seed season is in full swing and we had a successful day at the Denman Island seedy Saturday. Next up is Qualicum, this coming Saturday. We should have our seed rack up at Wild Rose Nursery in the next week or so, for those of you on Gabriola who are eager to get planting.

We feed the ewes high protein hay when they are pregnant to make sure they are getting enough nutrients as the grass isn’t growing that much yet.