Patience and the Urban Farmer

It’s just over a month until our last frost date here and that signifies the beginning of the spring frenzy. If you are like me and start your crops from seed, you know it’s time to commit to getting those cool weather babies going. I’ve been ahead of the game thanks to our greenhouse and the pouring rain that has made working in there preferable to other tasks. Greens of all kinds, herbs like parsley and cilantro, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, carrots, peas, potatoes, some interesting perennials, and FLOWERS galore are all planted.

Obviously since I live in Washington state I am no greenhorn when it comes to dealing with what a good friend of mine terms “the dark days.” January and February are always the hardest for me, and at times the melancholy seeps into March. It certainly does this year. Yesterday afternoon we had a brief respite with some sun but now the forecast is back to monochrome grey for days. I take comfort in visualizing my seeds at their maturity and the colors of the garden in peak summer. As well, harvesting the abundance and preparing a meal to enjoy on the back porch with Brian.

But those times seem so far away right now as I’m barely seeing my peas start to emerge. The early spring is a testament to patience; the slow growth, the elements, and the hungry critters that threaten the seeds and small seedlings all present challenges to my very goal oriented, perfectionist self. I embrace the waiting only now with a few seasons under my belt because I know the long, sun filled days will be here soon enough and with them comes a lot of work. Good work, but work.

Such knowledge doesn’t necessarily make this annual practice any less difficult. Every year there is some new surprise to fumble over in my garden growth and self growth.

So this is the season of getting my head back in the game. With some light still in the sky when I get home from the day job, I’m able to actually see all the projects waiting patiently for my attention. It’s definitely a mixed blessing! The past week I’ve been chipping away at the chores and occasionally around that time in the day Mother Nature has decided to give us a break and put on a show. One evening we had a rainbow to the east and this to the west. Although the light makes only a brief appearance these days, at least it does so with a whole lot of charisma.