February Around the Homestead

We haven’t had much of a winter and at first thought I was like “Yes, I’ll take it!” But then I got thinking, what kind of effect will this non existent winter have on everything?

Will this years garden season be all wonky like last years? Last spring was HOT! We got April/May tasks done in March/April and it was glorious, or so I thought. Then summer took a while getting here, actually, it never really came. August was cold and rainy. It should have been hot hot hot. My tomatoes didn’t turn red until mid Sept and about 2 days later got hit with a freak early frost. My zucchini and other squash did absolutely nothing. Normally we are swimming in them. I got 3 pumpkins which is more than I ever have but they were wonky shapes and sizes. We got no beans the bugs wouldn’t let them get off the ground. Peas were an ok crop. Lots of lettuce, cabbage and brussels sprouts. Cold season crops loved it. Everything else, total fail.

It is clear that something is going on with the weather and I would be lying if I said I didn’t think it was fabricated in some sort of way. The climate has been shifting for years, but the last few have been intense. It almost feels deliberate. I am worried for what will happen to wildlife, insects and ultimately the food we’re trying to grow.

What will this season bring? I can speculate and ask questions until the cows come home and I urge you to think critically as well, but in the meantime life on the homestead must go on.

Here’s my list of February tasks:

• I received some seeds from West Coast Seeds, BC & The Incredible Seed Co, NS and will start filling out my holistic guidebook & planner. If you still don’t have a planner, members of Marble and Mud get instant access to the one I have created or you may purchase a hardcopy below.

• Seeds to start in February Zone 5b - Celery, Onions, Leeks, Peppers, Perennial Herbs, Sweet Potatoes - start slips from a mature organic potato, Start any flowers intended for Mother’s Day.
• Check thrift stores for jars, any size.
• Clean out poop boards in the chicken coop if they’re thawed on a warm day.
• The BlueJays and Chickadees have returned so I filled up 3 feeders around the property with peanuts.
• Start spring cleaning - I’ve been working on the basement so I will be set for the main floor when I can open the windows and enjoy a warm sunny day.
• Plan for baby chicks - layers & meat birds. Pick an order date.
• We don’t tap Maple Trees but the neighbours do and this year we will be all hands on deck during the prep & tap process with them.
• Repurpose Bunny Hutch into Silkie Coop. We had a rough year with chicken death last year, losing over 30 birds total (I will write more on this later) and so our silkie rooster has been living in the shop all winter. The plan is to paint and alter the hutch so he can have a little bachelor pad until I get him a Mrs. The remaining flock is in the main coop. We currently have 10 laying hens.

February is also when I start thinking about new grow lights and what my seedling setup with be. Last year it occupied the entire kitchen table but this year I’d like to be able to use it for the next 4 months so something else is going to have to be set up.

Also! Keep an eye out for sales and early bird seed/flower bulb specials if you haven’t bought anything yet. Better yet, plan a seed swap in your neighbourhood or with friends & family and try something new in the garden this season.

~ K ~