dark furrow
a quiet almanac of soil and sky
dawn, the nineteenth of may
late spring
the frost is gone or nearly gone.
everything is rushing now. the green is loud.
warm rain after dawnthe lettuce grows so quicklyi cannot keep up
sky
warm already. dew on everything. the birds are unreasonably loud.
- waxing crescent, 10% lit
- sunrise 6:06 am · sunset 8:16 pm
- 14h 10m of daylight (+1.5 minutes from yesterday)
- civil dusk 8:45 pm · sailor's dark 9:20 pm · true dark 9:59 pm
the moon is dark. this is a time for rest and planning. prepare beds, amend soil, but do not plant. the old farmers said nothing wants to start in the dark.
the big dipper is overhead now, nearly upside down
a hailstorm in spring can ruin a garden in five minutes. the old timers called it "the hammer." there is no remedy but replanting.
garden
in the ground now
- peppers beside them, they like the same heat
- tomatoes go out after the last frost, finally
- basil near the tomatoes, old companions
- squash and cucumbers, give them room to sprawl
this week
- thin seedlings. it feels cruel but crowded plants produce nothing.
- check irrigation lines or soaker hoses. fix leaks before the dry heat arrives.
good neighbors
- chives or garlic in thin rows between the carrots and the lettuces, a quiet ward against aphids
- marigold around the peppers, the nematodes turn back at the smell of the root
- nasturtium at the foot of the cucumbers, the aphids prefer it and leave the rest alone
bad neighbors
- dill close to the tomatoes once they are setting fruit, the dill goes to seed and pulls them with it
- cucumbers in the smell of sage, the cucumber will not thrive where the herb is strong
- corn and tomatoes draw the same worm, keep them apart or share the loss
kitchen
in season
- the first herbs cut and scattered over everything
- radishes sliced thin with butter on good bread
- strawberries, finally, warm from the sun
- fresh peas eaten standing in the garden, never enough make it inside
tonight
- asparagus while it lasts, roasted simply with oil and salt
putting up
- asparagus pickles well in a salt-vinegar brine. blanch and freeze whatever doesn't get pickled.
- strawberries are at their peak from mid-april to the end of may. jam them, syrup them, or freeze whole on a sheet pan before bagging.
foraging
- elderflowers, the creamy flat clusters. dry them for tea or steep in vinegar.
- plantain leaf, the broad one in every yard. a poultice for stings and cuts.
- mulberries start ripening on the trees nobody planted. look up.
- wild strawberries, tiny and impossibly sweet, in sunny edges and old fields.
the woods and edges are full. walk slowly and look at what grows where nobody tends it. that is what belongs here.
folklore
the flower moon, for obvious reasons. the planting moon. the milk moon. the old english called may thrimilce, the month the cows could be milked three times a day. everything is producing.
red clover blossom tea, slightly sweet. traditionally used for skin and respiratory health. late spring remedies lean toward calming and cooling. everything is growing and so is the urge to overdo it. slow down.
ticks in the tall grass. check yourself after. tuck your pants in.