There’s a certain point in late winter where things start to shift — not all at once, and not in a way you can always see right away, but you can feel it if you’re paying attention.
Here in the Appalachian Piedmont, spring doesn’t arrive clean or predictable. It shows up in pieces. A warm afternoon followed by a cold morning. Wet ground that’s not quite ready. Longer days that begin to wake everything up, little by little.
This week felt like that turning point.
The Potting Shed Comes Back to Life
The potting shed came back into use this week, and with it, the start of another growing season.
Seed trays are filling up again — herbs, onions, and a handful of cold-hardy crops that can handle an early start in our Piedmont spring. Borage, calendula, chamomile, Swiss chard, lettuce, and Walla Walla onions are all underway, along with elderberry cuttings we’re working to root for the seasons ahead.
It’s not much to look at unless you know what you’re seeing. Just trays of soil and small green starts. But this is where every season begins.
Around here, planting doesn’t start in the fields — it starts in the potting shed, while the land is still waking up. The Piedmont has a way of slowing you down if you try to get ahead of it.
These early seedlings are a reminder that real growth takes time. It happens quietly, with the right conditions and a little patience.
Making Space for What’s Coming
Out in the field, we’ve been working on the pollinator areas — cutting back last year’s growth and getting things ready for new life to come through.
It’s not flashy work, but it’s important.
Those pollinator strips support bees, beneficial insects, and the balance that everything else on the farm depends on. Healthy systems don’t happen by accident — they’re built over time, season by season.
A lot of spring work looks like this. Clearing, cutting back, and preparing. Making space before anything new really takes hold.
Small Signs of the Season Turning
Some changes are easier to see.
The snow plow finally came off the tractor this week — something we’re always glad to do. It’s a simple job, but it marks the shift out of winter and into the work ahead.
The chickens are picking up too. With the longer daylight, egg production is back in full swing. It’s one of those steady rhythms — as the light returns, so does a little more abundance.
The Work You Don’t Always See
Not everything happening this time of year is visible from the outside.
We’ve been working through our annual organic certification update — reviewing records, practices, and making sure everything stays aligned with how we farm.
It’s detailed work, but it matters.
Because how food is raised is just as important as the food itself. Taking care of the soil, the animals, and the land in a way that builds long-term health isn’t something you check off once — it’s something you stay committed to year after year.
From the Kitchen and Workshop
While things are getting started outside, there’s been plenty happening indoors too.
Sharon has been busy making soaps, bath salts, fruit butters, and jams — turning what we have into things that can be used and enjoyed every day.
It’s another side of farm life that often gets overlooked, but it’s just as much a part of the rhythm. The field, the kitchen, and the home all stay connected.
Letting the Season Unfold
If there’s one thing early spring teaches every year, it’s patience.
It’s easy to want everything moving at once — planting, growing, producing. But especially here in the Piedmont, things come along in their own time.
Seeds start small. Soil warms slowly. Growth happens in stages.
And if you let it unfold the way it’s meant to, it usually works out better in the long run.
A Simple Invitation
We’re at the beginning of the season, but things are already moving.
The chickens are laying well right now, and we’ve got fresh eggs available each week. More will follow as the season continues to build, one step at a time.
If you’ve been thinking about reconnecting with where your food comes from, this is a good time to start. Follow along, stop by, or reach out — we’re glad to share a little piece of the farm as spring gets underway.
