Garden Gifts

I opened the garden gate this morning. It is tough when your vegetable garden is 500 miles and a ferry ride away. But I am here and none the worse for wear. It was a warm day for New England, and I found the spinach was pushing up against its white row cover. I shall nibble on it some this week and look forward to a modest spring crop.

In the herb garden, only the chives are showing signs of life and I did snip some for my eggs this morning.

Buried beneath the surface is that wonderful spring sweetness … parsnips. Tomorrow I shall make a spring dug parsnip chowder.


I like having crops in the garden for spring eating. They are like little gifts. This year I will try to over winter leeks.

The apple trees have not been eaten to nubs by the deer. In the fall we had built an 8 ft. fence using tall bamboo for the posts. One of the bamboo poles snapped over the winter and the deer have had access for awhile, I guess. I only see damage on one tree. I shall measure them tomorrow and check against my records. I was out there with the Bobbex this morning trying to make them less appetizing. No “little gifts” for the deer.