About this time of year, I begin to get Spring Fever. I’m past enjoying white, fluffy snow and the swing of temperatures has me freezing when it’s in the 40’s despite weeks of teen-temps. Perhaps most influential, the garden has been plowed.

Those deep furrows beckon me. Yet they are awfully muddy right now, and too cumbersome to grow more than weeds. Everyday this week has been in the 60’s and a little voice in my head is saying, “Ain’t it a waste not to plant on these days?” Yes! It is a waste – a waste of most of the seeds I might plant to chill and never germinate. If I work that soil up now, it will undoubtedly be rock-hard by July because the spring rains will beat it down… are you convinced to stay inside a little longer, and hold onto those seeds? If so, please keep reminding me.

I sat down to talk with you about healthy foods and the health I hope to coax out of my garden this year. But then the fever took over I suppose. So, let’s talk about early gardening.

You may remember me sharing with you a story from Callie Melton about Goin’ Sallet Hunting. As I look at my garden spot, I am reminded of her description of the women-folk scouring the fields for spring’s first edible greens. She says this excursion was more important than even making soap. I can’t help but wonder if it was as much for their mental health as the family’s diet. After the cold dark days of winter, the sunlight beckons something deep in my soul. I think that’s why I want so badly to plant something right away.

We’ve talked here before about how I realize that my winter days have been vastly different than those of Ms. Melton’s mother and grandmother. Electric lights, central heating, motorized transport and well-plowed, asphalt roads mean wintertime living isn’t nearly as hard or isolated as those women endured. Still, shorter hours of sunshine and barren trees are never as nice as summer – even when longer days and warmer temps mean bring on planting, weeding and canning.

We like to think of the “good ole’ days” as sitting before a crackling fire, visiting with family, and eating comfort foods. And that’s all true, until spring’s sunshine freed them to go sallet huntin’!

As soon as it’s dry enough to work up a row or two I’ll get out some gravelin’ potatoes – that’s taters that you plan to eat as soon as they are big enough, with the skins still soft. Boiled with salt and pepper and served with fried squash and ripe tomatoes, they are a summer delicacy on the mountain. If you’ve been peeling last fall’s shriveling spuds then you, too, are looking forward to new potatoes.

Mountain summers are milder than the valley’s but there are still some vegetables that won’t thrive in the hotter months. Therefore, spinach, lettuce, peas, broccoli and cauliflower will need to go out as soon as we’re safe from hard freezes, or a late snow.

Oh my, the more I write, the worse the spring fever is getting… we’ll talk about mountain winters next week!