I woke up today and looked outside my window at the Isabella Freedman Jewish retreat center covered by a blanket of soff white snow. I grabbed my cross country skis and began gliding across the frozen lakes and enjoying the serenity of winter at Isabella Freedman, where the population was exactly 3 people over this Shabbat. Just like Tu b’Shvat in America often seems strange, I mean there is snow on the ground and we are celebrating the birthday of the trees, the quiet of the retreat center hides the slow awaking of the agricultural cycle that really does begin quite soon. Granted, since I have a heated greenhouse at my disposal, I can enjoy fresh greens and a few ripe tomatoes even in a Connecticut winter, even your average home gardener can start scratching your planting itch soon. February is the time when we start planning the spring garden in the Northeast (while you might be planting now in California). Onion seeds (for bulb onions) can be sown indoors at a windowsill in small plastic containers, or the seebs can be germinated en masse on a damp paper towel and then transplanted into soil after the leaf emerges from the seed. February is also a great time to start perusing the seed catalogs (try Johnny’s or Fedco Seeds) for interesting varieties of your favorite vegetables. If you are really hurting for home grown greens in the cold northern winter, you can grow your own sprouts without too much trouble; you can even find seeds in your local hardware store that can be sprouted in a cool dark place on a wet paper towel.

Even though our yards and gardens are under their wintery blanket, the trees and plants are gathering their strength for the growth spurt and budding that is coming soon. So start your planning so you don’t get left behind, and stay posted for news on what we’re starting in the greenhouse in the next month.