Waiting for Spring

Emmer, watching our chickens play in the compost bins.

As the red winged black birds, starling and chickadees harmoniously return to appease the need for chatter in the morning, and that nostalgia of needing the freshness of spring. We are eagerly awaiting the days that we can be amending soil, seeding in the greenhouse, seeding those hardy seeds directly to the soil, and the bustle of waking up from our winter slumbers. 
I start my greenhouse up this week, I begin with the earliest, the hardiest, and the things that take the longest such as onions, native flowers, those hardy annuals, and the hardy Brassica vegetables. I feel like my mind always fluctuates between excited to begin the deep work of a farm season again, and then the anxiety of wondering if I "rested" enough during the winter months and how long it will take for the burnout to set in. There is really only so much resting you really can do, when we aren't bears, the cabin fever sets in, the muscles get too lazy and you just start to feel that yucky feeling after awhile of too much sedentary time. I appreciate moving, I long for motion and that release it provides. We get our feels with skiing, snowshoeing and going for winter hikes, but it does feel limiting. Especially with a toddler involved, their fingers and toes just aren't as hardy yet and I find that we end up on an adventure for much shorter duration's than I prefer and feel like I need.
I am ready for those warmer days, less clothing needs and bulky materials to just get out the door. Letting my little one wade in the kid pool. It's a good feeling, but I also know that is a time of a lot less in the moments, a lot more constant work and constantly needing to get things done to have a successful season.
I feel fortunate as this year feels like it is going to be really different than the years in the past, and I have a really good feeling. As we have navigated the gut sinking realm of herbicide damage in our fields, I find it slowly getting better, not 100%, not even close, but we are making it work and I think every year gets a little bit better.
My partner, Josh, also just got a different job that has allowed him to be home more during the week, which means my mom duty has been relieved a significant amount compared to what I have been dealing with for the last couple years.
I am striving to find less burnout this year, to be able to get more done, with less stress, and to be able to take more time to meet our family's needs and time to play and rest this summer. Let's hope it's a good one, let's make it a good one.
My dried flower selection is dwindling, but I am still creating beautiful wreaths that I plan to share in the early farm stand days, when we open it back up, hopefully the start of May. I also plan to make these as gift ideas for mothers day, I love this idea of giving our loved ones dried arrangements, they last such a long time, they are equally beautiful as fresh, and they were grown locally with so much love, patience and dedication to creating a better more sustainable floral industry.
I am finished out my herb selection strong, and just delivered the last bags to Flora + Fauna, which means I am cleaned out on my online selection. It was such a successful endeavor with adding dried herbs to my offerings as a grower. It's something I always dreamed of doing, but didn't think I had the knowledge and capability of doing it well. Sometimes you just have to go for it and realize what you are capable of, and acknowledge the amount that you do actually do well and have knowledge in. I am really proud of our little farm, and our ability to provide local herbs to this community. Soon enough, we will have bundles of fresh herbs again, along with the dreamy tea bouquets that I concocted last summer.
As many of you may have seen, I am having another soap release to welcome the end of winter, the beginning of spring, the worm moon and the soon enough spring equinox that we are edging toward! Happening March 9th, at 9am Mst! It is such a cleansing time, a fresh start, new growth, new opportunities and a quest to dive into the deeper parts of ourselves that have been paused or resting during these slower times.
I also have a seed swap happening, hosted at Flora + Fauna MT downtown Hamilton. Every year I have a tremendous amount of seeds accumulated from my own seed saving endeavors, and as many of you may know with our seed library we have in our farm stand, this is a way for me to connect with our community. Share some seeds, and some knowledge, and also hopefully get some unique seeds exchanged to add to our ongoing seed library. Come hang out with us on March 16th, at Flora + Fauna, from 5:30pm - 7:00pm! Light snacks will also be provided. 
I hope that you all enjoy my many new offerings, a lot of care, thought and love goes into all of my products. With beautiful organic, homegrown ingredients, and never anything that is artificial, and toxic.
Stay tuned for the reopening of our local farm stand, and all the new growth we will be having on this little farm we call home.
Be well, stay warm, and I hope the call of spring is also knocking on your door.
Warmly,
Olivia, aka, Lilly

---