Woodland Festival: Take Some Time to Enjoy

After a nice weather weekend, rain and cold with high winds moved in Sunday night, April 19th. The rain continued all day today, Monday, and will last until Wednesday morning, if the forecasts are correct. The wood stove is cranking tonight, it is a cold, raw rain.
The third and last “peeper snowfall” is expected tomorrow, Tuesday evening here. For the best part of this week, not much is likely to happen in the veggie garden.
But was able to plant another 25 foot row of snow peas on Sunday before the weather worsened. I planted some earlier but so far after a week, no germination. But the weather has no been cooperating much and the night temperatures have been in the lower 20's F. But the garlic is booming out there.
I do have a pollinator garden on two side of the backyard veggie plot but decided to build a new one in dead center. I moved some extra columbines, sweet william plants and transplanted a yucca plant. I am debating what else to put in the three by ten foot bed. Calendula's (also called pot marigold) are my first choice. A pollinator bed is a good idea. It adds to the biodiversity and they attract many good insects such as the bees and butterflies – all important to the veggies.
Saturday was just plain nice and youth (16y/o and younger)hunt day for spring gobblers. My neighbor, Jacob, and his dad were back up in the woods. Jacob was able to harvest the gobbler pictured after just about an hour in the woods.
There are several rather large flocks around here, each with about thirty birds. They really don't do much damage except to the blueberries. They are fond of them as they ripen and they are comical to watch as the jump the bushes to get the berries.
After hunting ended at noon, it was time for me and the dog and the camera. The May Apples were emerging and starting to open. The trout lily were ready to bloom as were the trillium. By week's end, it should be bloom time for both.
The wild phlox (pictured) was blooming Saturday. April's Full Moon is called the Full Pink Moon after these wild flowers, one of the earliest to bloom in the woods.
The leeks (pictured) are doing great and getting larger. I thought the picture posted here was unique. Leeks are good eating and on Saturday, it was ham/potato's /leeks in the crock pot and the extra leeks in the freezer.
The next couple of weeks are going to get hectic but it is a good time to get out and enjoy whats happening in the woodlands. It is actually inspirational.
For more insights into spring Urban Veggies
Some good local events and sights at Southern Tier
Some additional gardening articles.

Wild Food

The same day the peepers began their chorus, the leeks began to appear. It was March 28th and the next day it snowed.
I walked through the woods on April 3rd and was surprised to see how fast they had grown. The trout lily was also up adding some more green, along with moss and the Christmas ferns.
It is extremely difficult to grow the native wild leek in a domesticated vegetable garden because of the unique growing conditions they require. They are a good tasting “wild” food.
Leeks, or as some call them ramps, are a perennial woodland herb, native to much of the eastern sections of North America. The time frame for digging this first crop of the wild “recession” garden is short. Once the woods canopy shades the ground, usually mid to late May, the leeks bloom, and then die back. The distinctive, white flowers (photograph) produce black seeds which are then scattered for future crops.
It pays to be careful when harvesting them, don't take them all and be sure to bring along a shovel; they can be tricky to get out of the soil. Both the white bulb, which looks like a scallion, and the leaves are edible.
There are numerous healthy recipes; the bulbs can be pickled, dried or frozen for future use. Because they have a pungent garlic-onion flavor, pay attention to how many are used in a recipe. Leeks are high in Vitamins A and C and contain some minerals which are beneficial.
While there is a lot of discussions about “recession” gardens this year, there are edible plants which can be harvested in the woods. Spring is a great time to collect some of these foods and to get re-acquainted with our many natural resources. Within weeks the woods will be alive with hundreds of unique and colorful native plants. It pays to be watchful, know what you are harvesting and don't take it all.

For more gardening news and information visit Kathleen Richardson
or Dan at Urban Veggies
or other writing I have done.

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