It's winter and a good time to plan our Herbal Garden. We have a large area laid out (in our minds and on paper) to grow our herbs. We're going to use raised beds for these more delicate delicious plants. Some of the herbs will be for our personal use but the majority will be for us to sell at several Farmer's Markets and also list for sale on the local fb marketplace.
During this 'would rather stay inside' time of the year, I sit in my favorite chair with my little heater dog named Tipo. He would squish in beside me, with not much room to spare - just the way he loves it. We together would go over every "How to" book that I could find at the library about the best way to grow, harvest and dry herbs. I would read aloud occasionally and Tipo would express his approval or rejection of the idea by looking up at me from under the warm Afghan or not react at all, I took that as Yea and Nay.
Wanting to make full use of the herbs that I would plant, I researched what herbs would do well in our Northern Growing Zone. I wanted to learn as much as I could about cooking with fresh and dried herbs, how to infuse them in carrier oil and also how to use for medicinal purposes for my husband and I and for our animals as a natural preventative and a means of lessening the symptoms of ordinary illnesses. I want to attach cooking ideas to each package of herbs - dry or fresh - that we sell...
Most every cold morning, I bundle myself up in many layers. This morning, I needed to go out in the cold and feed all of our fuzzy and feathered friends (my husband and I take turns). They are always so happy to see us after the long night - warms my heart even if it's more about the food than us. First, I start up my old 4-wheel drive truck, so that she can warm up while I scoop out feed to fill all of our animal's food containers. By the time I finish feeding, she will be nice and warm and, I'll be more than ready to jump into my 'warmer than outside' vehicle and head for town.
Today was an especially important trip - my first big order of seed is here and waiting for me at the Post Office. I carefully maneuver my sweet truck down our semi-plowed (two tracks) driveway. It is a gravel/dirt driveway with potholes that fill with water, freeze and thaw. I maneuvered down our long driveway to then get out onto our road. We are the only people living on this road, so it usually isn't plowed by the Township until we make a call to remind them. We have a skid loader and a plow on my husband's truck - but sometimes there is more snow than our equipment can safely handle. To my delight, the township grader had come down our road and cleared it. I gave my 'old girl' a pat on her worn-out dashboard, and we together were off and on our way to town. We have had quite a bit of snow over the last few days and nights. So, slow deep breath in and out, drop shoulders from their position currently up by my ears and I push down slowly on the accelerator pedal. Since moving out here, it always amazes me how happy the smallest things make me - like my truck actually moving forward in the snow.
As I pull into the Post Office, I feel so excited about picking up my precious box of colorful little bags of seed for the beautiful gardens that I have imagined a million times over. The Postmaster asked if we had plans of planting a large garden. I told her that we were. A large vegetable garden, a large cut flower garden and a large herb garden. Word travels quickly in a small town - good free advertisement. I said that we hoped to sell our bounty at several local Farmer's Markets and also on fb marketplace. After telling them that I will have many more seeds coming, I say goodbye to the ladies at the Post Office and thanked them.
The library is within walking distance of the Post Office so, I put my box in my truck and pick up my books to return to the library and trudge through the snow on the semi cleared sidewalk. After stomping the snow off of my boots I was greeted by the library folks. They all knew me well - I am probably one of their best customers - my books are often late, and I pay the fines - so, I say 'that's my financial support of my Library'. I will be supporting it in other ways - they've asked me to give a class on 'how to get your book published' as I am going through that process right now. Probably will do that in the spring. I dropped my return books on the counter and set out into the room to find 'new books' about plants. I was able to find 10 books that I had not read before. Waving goodbye, I walk back to my truck excited about my 'new reads' and of course my 'new seeds'. The old girl starts right up, and we head home. I should stop calling my truck 'the old girl' - I'm in that category also - and wouldn't appreciate that name. I'll think of some other name for her. The ride home went very quickly. It was one of those rides that you remember leaving and then all of a sudden you are at your destination. Thoughts about my precious seeds flooded my thoughts apparently. I did get home safely. We rarely meet many other cars on any of the roads we travel to town.
Pulling into our yard, I can't wait to get into the cabin and open my much-anticipated box of seed. I have so many pots of dirt waiting for these precious seeds placed everywhere around our cabin. By every window, under every skylight. We also did venture into our upstairs area and found some amazing grow lights - apparently plants were grown up here that are now legal in MI - but were not when this operation was happening. Until we can build a greenhouse, our log cabin will have to do to get all of these plants started. I'm thinking that possibly the existing mobile home on the property could be renovated into a greenhouse - we'll see, it's already here and has water and electric.
.JPG)
