39. First Frost

Seems like such a piddling thing to devote a post to, but the magic of waking to the first frost, trekking foot-prints into the silvery grass, not being able to use the hose because it’s frozen solid (yes, that’s right, I have to fill five gallon buckets in the kitchen sink with hot water over and over again in order to make sure the geese, chickens, and cats have fresh water when it gets cold), and seeing the landscape change into winter; it’s truly a gift to enjoy.

Two pullets, born in August, puff up against this season’s chilliest morning.

I have not gathered the courage to look beneath the row cover. First of all, I shouldn’t do that when it’s 28 degrees anyway, especially with the moisture in the air: that’s a recipe for frost-scorched greens, but mostly, I don’t want to discover that everything that has been growing so well is frozen. I’m going to wait to peer in later this week, when it’s a bit warmer, and closer to harvest time for market.

And speaking of which, Saturday is our first “winter market” at Madison Farmers Market. The only difference between winter and main season markets are a time shift, 10 AM - Noon, rather than 8 AM - Noon, fewer sellers of seasonal produce (will I be the only one with veggies?) and some vendors inside, rather than everyone outside. While standing around in the cold is not always the most pleasant way to spend a Saturday morning, it will be nice to continue to sell to customers, and to promote a growing market.

Now on with the rest of my day, which will not at all include more coffee and sitting by the fire…