Just a quick update on the winter weather and how it’s affecting things out here …
First of all, we made it safely to and from our last CSA pick-up. Tuesday turned out to be the mildest day of the week, for which we were grateful.
The snow and cold have continued all week … our recorded low so far was 13 degrees (Wed). Many other days lingered in the 20s. Those of you in other parts of the country might scoff at these temps, but for people living in USDA Zone 8a, this is some extreme cold weather.
The good news is that we’ve received snow off and on, which should help the veggies survive. Also, the row cover appears to have been very effective at protecting crops. We took a field walk yesterday to check things out. It’s too early to make final conclusions about the outcomes, but overall stuff looks like it’s going to make it — especially row covered beds. The chard under cover is still fully upright and turgid, while the exposed plants are black, wilted and shriveled. The celeriac looks awesome, as do the rest of the roots. We’re hopeful today, and the upcoming temps are predicted to be much more moderate: 28 and above.
Today it’s snowing again. We have about an inch here, but my parents have over a foot at their house (on a small hill just outside of Mac). At times like these we’re happy to live in the flats.
We’re sad that so many holiday gatherings have been cancelled. We were supposed to go to Portland today for a family celebration but decided it’s safest to stay home. That’s a very minor complaint right now. We feel very fortunate to have a life that allows to keep warm and stay home during winter storms. The woodstove has kept us cozy as we’ve worked on our 2009 seed order, written xmas cards, and read. Although we have a touch of cabin fever, we’re doing well. We’re happy to be done with the CSA for a few weeks and happy to feel hopeful for next season again.
To top it all off, the gray kitten is still alive. Haven’t caught it yet, but we’re keeping it fed during the cold weather. Hoorah!
