Hello my friends!

Well, December is almost gone and with it, the close of the holiday season. I hope you were able to slow down and savor the slower pace that comes with the closing of an old year and the start of a new. As I write this, I am in the Upper Midwest visiting family and enjoying a wonderful winter scene. I am probably unlike most people, especially those who live in Florida, because I enjoy the cold, crisp winter weather. The bare trees are beautiful and graceful. The gray skies and brown landscape is calming, and magnifies the beauty of clear, sunny days. I love to watch snow fall and the deep blue skies of January. How happy I am to have the opportunity to be immersed in them again!

For those who live in warm climates, the gardens are at their peak. For those who live in temperate climates, this is a time of rest. Soon, it will be time to crack open the seed catalogues and begin dreaming about your garden to come. Indulge!

As you weed your garden or think about your upcoming garden, think beyond the food. You may not be aware of just how beneficial your food garden is, especially when those benefits are combined with those from the other gardeners in your community. It is really astounding. I recently completed my book on the subject and, as I wrote, the full range of benefits seemed to unfold like a flower. Nearly every gardener I have spoken with were unaware how they were contributing to reducing carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere, reducing the amount of fossil fuels that were being consumed, helping their local economy and improving their diet. And you thought you were just growing a few things for your household!

As you go about your food gardening, know that your little space has a positive impact on the world around you. Your vegetable garden can really make all the difference in the world!

I’ll be seeing you in the New Year.