Solstice has passed.  The light lasts longer than the dark.  Green things are popping out of the ground, budding out of bark, and creeping along stones.  As much as I have longed for this, this winter, it is a bit overwhelming - all of the plans made during the cold days must now be implemented.

Here at ASPI the gardens are gently tilled, mulch has been applied, seedlings are reaching for the light in the greenhouse and high tunnel, some seeds and starts are reaching up through the still cool Earth, the calendar is being drafted, summer classes and activities are being scheduled, and we are booked for Earth Day celebrations.

At home, some of the same garden-work is being done (but without the scores of volunteers ASPI has, it goes a little slower).  We have determined that our outdoor clay oven needs more than just repair, and the rain barrels are getting a more thorough cleaning and in one case, repair, this year.  It's also the year we are moving the chicken run around the garden.  It's been there for three years and we want to incorporate all of that good compost from leaves, kitchen scraps, chicken poo, and massive amounts of chicken-composted weeds from the garden back into the garden.  Plus, the chickens need more security from the dogs in the neighborhood.  We took out some trees that will provide too much shade for the expanded garden (their trunks and limbs will be repurposed in the new chicken run) and rejoiced that with a lot of woods, we did not have to feel too badly about cutting out trees.

Today will be a gorgeous day to move stones, plant a little, add bucketsful of compost to the strawberry beds, but there are still the cold, rainy days left.  Too wet to work in the garden or make a clay oven.  On those days, we take inventory.  What do we have?  What do we need?  Three growing children - at least two will need new winter boots next year.  How will we meet the needs of our family?  Are there sustainable means (and cost-efficient)?  We carry garage-sale/thrift store/construction seconds lists for the summer season, just in case we find something we need.  Dehydrator finally started smoking last fall.  Do we want another electric one - or can we build an efficient solar dehydrator?  

Do we have a farm?  No, even though some of our town friends tell their children that they are visiting our farm.  It isn't really big enough - at least we aren't willing to cut out the acres of trees to make it so.  Recently, as we planted blueberry bushes, I mentioned the homesteading trend to my husband.  He really liked that term for what we do and was interested in urban homesteading, because the truth is - all of things we are planning this spring, can be done almost anywhere.  There are some urban environments that do preclude chickens (but you might be surprised if there is a bit of backyard and you do a bit of research before approaching the landlord), but rain-capturing systems, gardening, and even outdoor ovens are all within the means of most folks and communities.   Do a little research about feasibility and sadly, most important to most, the aesthetic and cleanliness factors of what you want to implement, and you may find towns, cities, landlords, and neighbors not only allow, but encourage your homesteading efforts.

Our Spring Break Service Learning students from Loyola and Notre Dame have jump started our growing and education programs - as well as helped ASPI assist our Rockcastle County community.  

I have added a facebook group for our 2014 Grow Appalachia participants to add pictures, questions, recipes, and etc. so that everyone can see those. Check out what everyone is doing. https://www.facebook.com/groups/815982615081839/

    March has a wide variety of interesting holidays, both religious and secular.  In the American backwoods tradition the full moon of March is called the Full Worm or Full Sap Moon, with the sap beginning to rise and worms waking up from winter sluggishness, or hatching from eggs.  Spring equinox always occurs between March 20-22, where the hours of light & darkness are equally balanced.

    The World Day of Prayer is celebrated annually in over 170 countries on the first Friday in March.  This holiday is the largest ecumenical movement in the world organized and led by women, aiming to bring together women of various races, cultures and traditions in a yearly common Day of Prayer.   Mary Ellen James, the wife of a Presbyterian minister in New York and the mother of seven children, called for a day of prayer in 1887, simply reacting, as a Christian, to the society in which she lived.  She was aware of the problems faced by many women around her, particularly new immigrants to America - the awful slums with their poverty, unemployment, poor housing, lack of health or educational facilities - she felt something had to be done.  Two years later, two Baptists called together a Day of Prayer for the World Mission. The Day of Prayer initiated by these two women expanded to neighboring countries, then on to Europe and other continents.  Since 1927 the day is known as the World Day of Prayer.

    Mardis Gras, literally "Fat Tuesday," often falls in March, and is celebrated throughout the world in lavish, often raucous festivals and parades.  But its roots may lie in pagan celebrations of spring and fertility, eventually included in the Christian calendar as the "last hurrah" before the 40 days of penance between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.  Mardi Gras became a holiday in 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII placed it on his Gregorian calendar on the day before Ash Wednesday.  In some countries Mardi Gras is called "Shrove Tuesday" after the term shrive, which means "to confess."  This refers to the unofficial custom of going to confession on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday as a way of shedding sin and guilt before the spiritual journey of Lent. “Carnival,” another common name for the pre-Lenten festivities, comes from the Latin words carne vale, meaning "farewell to the flesh."

    National Quilting Day, held annually on the third Saturday of March, celebrates fabulous quilts and those who make them.  This is a day to recognize and appreciate quiltmakers, their skill and beautiful results.  The National Quilting Association started National Quilting Day in 1991, at the 22nd Annual Quilting Show in Lincoln, Nebraska.

    Earth Hour is a global event organized by WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and is held annually on the last Saturday of March, asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change.  Earth hour was conceived by WWF and The Sydney Morning Herald in 2007, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights.

    March is a month when we look for and forward to time spent outdoors, the surprise of blossoming wildflowers and warm, sunny spring days.  May your spring be filled with the joys of simplicity and the balance of a simple lifestyle.

Getting Ready for Spring
A big THANKS! to some students from Loyola in Chicago, IL and some Notre Dame Students that have come down for the past two weeks to be in ASPI’s service learning program. These Loyola students have helped clean out high tunnel and plant some leaf lettuce, kale and spinach back in it. They helped start more seeds for the participants.

They also helped prepare the community garden. They first weeded. Then measured the whole garden and mapped it out in even plots for everyone. After all this was done Notre Dame student started on getting compost in the garden and tilling. They done lots of work at the Nature Center, painted shelves at ASPI. They even made some pretty ASPI shirts and bags and lots more.

It has been a very busy two weeks but we are a lot closer to being ready for spring. We are ready for the snow and cold weather to go so we can start to grow!

Tagged: aspi , community gardens , gardening , grow , Grow Appalachia , planting , seeds