As I write this in early May I can hear a soft rain hitting the porch roof. I know this is a welcome sound for the farmers in the Bullskin Creek Grow Appalachia program. We’ve had a pretty good spring so far – not too wet, not too dry, and not too many cold spells – but this rain was needed for many folk’s early crops.

And while people have definitely been enjoying their early crops, the main season is just around the corner. Our next plant distribution is coming up in a few days, and people are definitely looking forward to getting tomatoes, peppers, and other warm weather crops in the ground now that the chance of frost is (hopefully) behind us.

I was reminded of this transition of the seasons during a recent visit to a participant’s garden. This individual is a first-time grower, and he has put in the effort to bring the old garden spot on his property back into production. It was incredibly gratifying to see what he had accomplished so far, and refreshing to hear his plans for his main season garden. Even better than hearing his descriptions, however, was seeing the excitement on his face as he described the meals he was already planning from his own home-raised veggies. Just as surely as we can feel the spring turning to summer, I could see him growing into someone who knows the joy of coaxing his own food from the soil.

Here’s wishing you a great growing season with lots of self-discovery, fellowship, and excellent meals!