I know it is the time of year when we become nostalgic for hot cider, hayrides, pumpkins, holiday gatherings and the changing leaves (which, to be fair, are gorgeous already). This is also the time of year when farmers and gardeners are thinking about finishing up their fall harvest and putting the garden ‘to bed’ as it were. There is typically no shortage of posts about pumpkin spice things or the right or wrong way to put our farms and gardens to rest for the season.
I think I am a peculiar farmer. Have you ever heard the term, fair-weather friend? Well, I think I am more of a fair-weather farmer. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of chowing down on pumpkin pie, and not pulling another weed, but being cold just does not thrill me in the slightest.
Before you roll your eyes and tell me to get out my skis and head for the mountains, know that I am from the arctic tundra of the Midwest, and have always thought I should have been born somewhere more tropical. Perhaps I should be growing pineapple, bamboo, and coffee trees. I studied coffee plantations in college and hiked around in the inner-Andes mountains learning about sustainable coffee production techniques and felt right at home in my sandals in the middle of January.
You must admit that there is something magical about warm breezes, freshly blended papaya juice and cutting off the top of a coconut and drinking right from the nut with a straw. OK, maybe it’s just me, but if I am sitting on a beach or eating a freshly picked banana, it is very difficult for me to imagine getting up at 5 a.m., layering up to go feed cows in subzero weather with three feet of snow on the ground.
So why did I choose to live in Colorado and be a farmer, you ask? Because I have farmed in places where the winters are warm enough to grow tomatoes and corn in January and spent an entire year working outside in my sandals (Chacos of course) wading through the fields; and you know what you DON’T get? A chance to rest. Just like the concept of putting our gardens to bed each season, there is something incredibly valuable in remembering that this is also a wonderful time for growers to tend to ourselves.
We need the same care our plants need; food, water, sunshine, and occasional rotation (we just call it vacation). So, while you are thinking about whether you want to cut down your plants or leave them standing in the snow for the pollinator larvae to call home, remember that we also need care. Nutritious, healthy food is our fertilizer, plenty of water and coffee for hydration, and hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, or just sitting in a sunny window with your cats is essential throughout the winter months. So that come spring, we are rested and ready to emerge from our layers of coats and hats, so we can get our seeds in trays, or wander the nursery and plan for a glorious summer ahead.
I will still dream about my coffee plantation in the tropics but embrace the variation and complexity of life and farming on the Colorado Plateau. Oh, and if you want to know more about how to prepare your garden for winter, I am game for talking about that too, or you can attend the workshop at the Soil Outdoor Learning Lab on Oct. 2 on ‘prepping gardens for winter rejuvenation’. It is nice to dream, but learning how to rest and rejuvenate is an amazing gift we receive by living in our four-season paradise.
Heather Houk is the Horticulture and Agriculture specialist for the La Plata County Extension Office.
