News

The winter blues, the doldrums, the blahs…by now, we’re all feeling them!  While not a particularly cold winter, it’s been a wet, gloomy one. But just because it’s miserable outside, doesn’t mean the campus farm and our students aren’t working hard! Given the choice, which they are, our Middle School students still opt to work outside despite the cold, wet weather. On particularly raw days, we do stay inside to watch the documentary Keep the Hives Alive. (If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it!)

So, what on earth are they doing on these wintry days? The animals always need clean living quarters so there is mucking out and refreshing of barns and coops to be done. During warm weather, the apiary gets overgrown with goldenrod and wild raspberries which need to be cut back. Garden beds must be turned over and cover crops replanted before spring.  One hive needs a new platform so pavers must be laid and leveled.

We are extremely fortunate to have two greenhouses at Springmont. One is inside and already full of flats seeded with tomato, zucchini, eggplant, catnip and basil!  In the outdoor greenhouse, thyme, turmeric and sage overwintered wonderfully well. Students have sown flax, delphinium, cilantro, celosia and milkweed, and we anxiously await those first sprouts.

This is also an exceptional time to plant trees. Our students have planted apple, plum, pear and chokeberry trees, and we look forward to more apple trees, an almond, and a crabapple tree. While trees may seem dormant in the winter, they actually do most of their root-growing during this period because there is no new leaf growth to support. These high-nectar-bearing fruit trees will support our bees during this spring.

So, just because it is winter, doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to do outdoors. And, our students love to get out, get some fresh air, and burn off that cabin fever!