Adventures in Country Living: Winter Garden

So I know that Spring is blooming up all over. Conversation hearts are making way for Cadbury eggs on store shelves, people are sneezing like crazy (my husband included) and replacing our snow boots with flip flops by the front door has me excited for warmer days. But while California flatlanders (yes, ya'll are called that by people who live in the mountains-- particularily while driving :D) are seeing green things out their windows, we're staring at over a foot of snow and our cars are in desperate need of a washing. If only it were that time of year when we could actually hook a hose up to a water spicket. But anywho...back to spring.

While my yard is a jumble of mud and snow and kids who are covered in, well, mud and snow, I know my summer garden is a long way off. But that only means there's still time to enjoy the winter garden. This is where a greenhouse comes in really handy.

If you're now thinking, "But I don't have a greenhouse."
I'm here to tell you, "Never fear, cuz I don't either."

What I do have, is a simple garden bed built out of 2x4's that's covered with a hinged lid of plastic that surprisingly enough, can handle quite a heavy snow load. Also, it helps to be married to Mr. Handyman *grin*

He built this box for me (upon request...there may have been a little batting of the lashes) and since then, every winter, regardless if there is a storm raging outside, I can brave the snow, pry open that hefty lid and (drum roll please)...Lettuce! Now, they're not huge leaves, granted, but they are tender and just enough to get us by through winter.

I have all kinds. My favorite is the mesclun mix, sort of like the dainty green and purple mixture you see in those plastic boxes at the grocery store. Except this lettuce is never dark and slimy (you know what I'm talking about) because it's picked fresh every time we need it. It stores really nicely in the salad spinner in the fridge and is always on hand for sandwiches and little salads. Come spring, however, I'll be up to my eyeballs in lettuce and my family will not only consume a large salad every single day, but I just might be hunting you down with a bag of lettuce, pleading for you to take some off my hands. Warm weather really works wonders. Do you like my picture? That's my greenhouse...it's puurrty.

Having a winter garden is incredibly easy. The boxes are so simple to build and if you don't live where you get snow, you probably don't even need a box. Just a sunny corner of your yard were you can sow a winter variety of lettuce, spinach, chard and cabbages. And that's only to name a few. There is a surprising number of winter hardy vegetables and the color and freshness are just the ticket for warming the soul as it awaits spring's arrival.

Happy Homesteading!