It Begins with Cabbage

Two weeks ago, we started 128 cabbage seeds. Cabbage, along with onions, are the earliest to be started for the spring garden. We started four varieties - two green, one red, and one savoy. Most of them have sprouted, although the sprouting rates for the savoy cabbage are pretty poor. But that's why we start so many - so that there is room for poor seed germination, weak seedlings, pests, bad weather, and all the many things that can befall a vegetable before it gets to the table.

But these seedlings are the first sign of spring. The first sign of real live food coming back to our plates after the winter. The first farm work that is not planning, ordering, and publicizing since we planted garlic in November.

Cabbage started indoors, when the ground is covered with snow, is as good a way as any I know to encourage spring to arrive sooner.

Our chickens have decided that spring is coming as well. Their egg production has picked up a lot in the last week. Our 38 hens laid 17 eggs yesterday. Delicious, wonderful eggs. Come on spring!