by Jamie S.
I'll admit it: Down here in middle Georgia (the lower edge of Zone 7), we have it easy. Most of our sturdy greens and root vegetables can be overwintered, and our spring planting season starts in March. May is a shoulder season--down with the old, up with the new.(I won't mention the bugs and the heat. I know it comes off as whining. World's tiniest violin, etc.)
If you live in a colder zone, you may be worried that there won't be much of anything at your local farmstand in May. But remember that some of your local farmers have greenhouses. I have a plastic hoophouse, and it makes me feel pretty darned clever. You can push the seasons ahead by a month at least. The plants grow in the same soil and battle the same bugs; the only difference is a little extra solar heat.
A greenhouse can create interesting juxtapositions. For instance, the photos in this post were both taken this morning. Wax beans and snap peas, together at last! How odd.
I guess a purist seasonal eater might say it's unnatural, but I'd argue that it's no more tricky than starting seeds indoors or using water walls on your tomatoes. You do what you have to do to get the most out of your growing season.
I suspect Eat Local Challenge participants in Zone 6 will be seeing vegetables a lot like these about one month from now.
Jamie S. lives in rural Georgia and writes 10 Signs Like This, a blog that's part gardening journal, part cookbook, part sustainable lifestyle, and part short attention span.
