Garden Dreams and a Winter Meal

Garden Dreams and Winter Meals

The tail end of January heading into February is what used to be known as The Wolf Months; as in, the wolf's at your door; as in, the snow isn't so cute now that the holidays are long past; as in the howl of a gardener cooped up indoors for too long; as in a forager desperate for any sign of green.

Take heart. There is much to be done now to ensure a thriving Green in seasons to come, and there is still time, fireside, storytelling time enough to daydream it all exactly the way you want it to be.

Here in New York City, the seed catalogs came early this year, before December's gifts were even wrapped. And there was a bit of doubt about whether or not seeds sent through the mail would be subject to radiation as part of the anti-anthrax program. I confess to having participated in few of my usual seed swaps this year. I am grateful that most of the seeds for what I want to grow are ones I've gotten in the habit of saving myself from each year's produce. And for the first time in ages, I'm spending more than postage on the few new varieties I want to try.

All right then. Pull out the seed catalogs from whatever drawer or pile you hid them in. Make a cup of herbal tea and pull up a chair. Have a pencil with a good eraser handy, as well as a notebook or some scrap paper. If you keep a garden or foraging journal, pull that out as well.

For starters, be strong and ignore all the proclamations of BIGGER, BETTER, GUARANTEED!! Nothing in nature is guaranteed. What has worked well for you in the past? What do you actually enjoy eating? What herbal medicines do you buy from the health food store that you might be able to grow yourself (in a pot if not in a garden, on a rooftop, a fire escape, a windowsill...I've done all of these and they are worth doing)?

Make a list of which vegetables and herbs you love in your food, and which medicinal herbs you would purchase at a health food store. If your space is limited, cross out those that are cheap and readily available in stores (onions, potatoes). Take a moment to translate those symbols at the bottom of each plant entry at the catalog and again cross out anything inappropriate to your growing conditions (you've got containers and shade? A sprawling, sun-loving plant is probably a waste of money).