Meridian Industrial

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

2024-03-01 | Payton North

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It’s always around this time of year that I start to get that “I need warm weather” itch.

As I write this March column it is mid-February, and we just came off a weekend of what I like to call, “fools spring.”

There is a meme that explains the winter season in New England:
  • Winter
  • Fools spring
  • Second winter
  • Spring of deception
  • Third winter
  • Mud season
  • Actual spring

We’ve moved into second winter now, as we had a snowstorm yesterday. Well – it was supposed to be a storm. It wound up being between 2-6 inches depending on where you live and was not all that exciting. Alas, a snow day is a snow day.

March welcomes a bit of a thaw – we usually hit spring of deception and third winter during this month, and then waltz in mud season toward the end. This time of year always brings back a piece of happiness that I didn’t realize was missing until I start to see the sun shining brighter – and longer – into the evening hours.

In this month’s Go Local we feature an eclectic mix of businesses, but what I love most is our sharing of CSA or Community Supported Agriculture resources in our area. CSA involves a partnership between farms and consumers, with members (people like you and me) paying in advance for a “share” of the farm’s harvest for a set portion of the year. Members pick up fresh produce, herbs or even flowers on designated days at the farm.

Being a CSA member gives folks who may not have access to fresh produce an opportunity to enjoy the fruits – or vegetables – of local farmers labors for many weeks in the summer. It is also a potentially more economical option than buying at your neighborhood grocery store.

While I have not participated in a CSA share yet, I will say, last year I made my first foray as an adult into having my own crops. I use the phrase “crops” lightly, as I wound up purchasing peas, mint and strawberries.

The mint was fantastic – it grew like weeds, as mint does – and I’m looking forward to having it grow back this year. The strawberries started out just fine until our neighborhood birds and/or squirrels realized they were there…the berries then suffered an unfortunate fate. The peas, however, were complete user error. The pot I planted them in didn’t drain well, rotting the roots, and I didn’t give the stalks anything to climb vertically on, so they started curling down.

This year I think I’ll try again, but with a new vegetable: tomatoes. My grandfather always used to buy one tomato plant a year, and I think I’ll carry that tradition on. I also don’t think they’re known to be incredibly tricky to grow, and given my 2023 growing season being a flop, I may have overestimated my abilities a bit.

Thinking spring and gearing up for the growing season is keeping me going through this last month until we welcome “actual spring.” If you have not grown any veggies or fruits in your garden (or even a pot), consider joining me this year! If you have any tips for a new gardener, I’m all ears.

Thank you for reading,
-Payton North, Executive Editor

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