Happy new year! Now that January has arrived and the holidays are behind us, we are busy here getting ready to start planting the spring and summer vegetables. We had our first heavy snow last week which allowed me to spend a little quality time in my office, perusing the stack of seed catalogs on my desk. Truly one of my favorite wintertime activities! I will start the first flats of seedlings tomorrow and by the end of the week I should have violas, tomatoes, mustard, collards, and a few other varieties of cold-tolerant greens started.
The high tunnel allows us to extend our growing season for the full year. I have cabbages and greens that we will continue to harvest through the end of February, and by the first week of March, I’ll have the first of the tomato plants in the ground. It elevates my mood to be able to play in the dirt, even through this season of shorter, cloudier days.
As for what we have cooking, January tends to be a slower time. I made fresh batches of blackberry jam and apple butter, since both sold out in December. Thank goodness for frozen fruit! Within the next week, I will add mixed citrus marmalade and tart cherry jam to the online store and start a fresh batch of whole grain Dijon mustard. We’re also restocking our personal pantry with home-canned items like chicken stock, canned beans, and pickled jalapenos on days when weather conditions deter me from outdoor projects. I started a batch of kimchee, one of my favorite fermented pickles, using the daikon radish and mustard greens harvested out of the high tunnel beds. That cabbage from the high tunnel will become sauerkraut soon since I used up the last of my supply. Fermented pickles like kimchee and sauerkraut can be stored in the refrigerator for a year or more and are among the tastiest and healthiest foods to eat.
What are you cooking this January? Leave a comment and let me know what your favorite wintertime flavors are.
