Old Wives’ Tales

It's been a long and brutal winter, but this week, we got a glorious peak of what's right around the corner: Spring! That small stretch of 60 degree days was an immediate mood booster for everyone on the farm, even the animals. (If you need farm fresh eggs, our hens are laying like crazy, and you can order some for local pick up here!)

Its sure starting to feel like spring, but as lifelong New Englanders and experienced farmers, we know better than to trust this false start. While it may be tempting to start thinking about your outdoor garden, there is still plenty of cold weather—and overnight frosts—on the horizon. So we will continue to be patient and wait for warmer weather until we begin field planting in earnest... for the most part. There are some crops that have been put into the ground in March for hundreds of years, and who are we to argue with tradition?

Farming is a practice that requires science, knowledge, and research. What is the average last frost date in my zone? What macro- and micro-nutrients does my soil need to support higher yields? What crop rotation this year will break last year's pest and disease cycle?

But farming is also an ancient practice that relies on instinct, experience, and tradition. And that is where the old wives' tales—old farmers' tales?—come in! One that we swear by: Planting peas on St. Patricks' Day! According to the tale (and to my dad, who would call me every year to make sure I followed through), planting peas on St. Patricks' Day ensures a lucky and high-yielding growing season. 

On the science side of things, peas are a hardy, cold weather crop that thrive when the soil is cool and wet like it is now. So it makes sense to plant peas in mid-March, but facts aside, this is the kind of farming practice we inherited from those who came before us, the kind of practice that makes us feel connected to our past and hopeful for our future. Listening to old wives' tales like these, following farming traditions that came before us, grant us time-tested wisdom that helps steer our agricultural stewardship in a meaningful way that connect us to our heritage, our community, and our land.

So we want to know, are you planting peas this St. Patrick's Day? What other old wives' tales are you following this spring?