Are you as glad as we are that February is over? What brutal weather this winter has dealt us!

Our personal weather station here at the farm showed -23 degrees on the coldest night. So it was no surprise to us that we lost almost all of our beautiful greens.

We did everything we could to protect the babies with the resources we have. We tucked them in covering them with frost blankets to keep the heat from the ground trapped down close to the crops. We hoped they would stay warm and cozy snuggled in their beds. But it just got too cold!

Even though the crops we grow during the winter are cold-loving, they just could not tolerate the polar vortex and the prolonged sub-zero temperatures it brought with it.

The carrots, being underground, survived but their tops did not. And surprisingly, although it suffered some damage, the spinach and collards survived as well. They have proven to be very hardy winter greens! (I bet eating them makes us hardy too!)

Giving up hope for our crops, our attention and energy focused on saving the high tunnels. Snow can be an insulating layer, but too much and it will collapse a high tunnel.

Three times we had to remove the excess snow. From the inside of the tunnels, we used brooms to push up against the plastic knocking the snow loose so it could slide off.

Thankfully it’s over and new plantings have begun! As we clear out the dead crops we are filling the empty space with new seeds and transplants. Already there are baby Romaine heads and tiny green onion bunches. Even the carrots that were seeded before the winter freeze finally poked their tiny heads through the soil yesterday!

Thank you for keeping our farm in your thoughts and prayers. Your thoughtful messages of concern meant so much to us.

We know we’re not the only ones who are looking forward to spring!