"It's the time of year when the smell of spring is in the air and the transition from winter hibernation to plant emergence becomes apparent." —Erica Renaud, from March's Farm Report

Dear Organic Gardeners,

The equinox has come and gone. Winter, for those who had one, is officially over. For many of us, especially those in the usually frigid and snowy Northeast, winter never really materialized—the "worst in memory" for many snow lovers. But even with a mild winter, no snow meant that the frost was deep, and there was no insulation for perennials and overwintered crops. Rarely a day passes around here without talk of human-induced global climate change. From melting glaciers to thawing permafrost, from insect infestations in the Boreal forest to ever more northerly waterfowl migratory patterns, the evidence continues to stack up. The problem is so complex and so enormous that it's almost beyond comprehension, and seemingly beyond any one person's ability to do anything about it... at least us common folk. So what can we do about it?

Grow gardens, I say. Grow food in your backyard. Grow your own flowers. Create your own entertainment right at home. No need to crank up the gas hog to drive to the supermarket to buy food or flowers that have been shipped halfway around the world in refrigerated trucks and planes that drink even more fuel and emit even more greenhouse gasses. Stay home. Get exercise in the garden. No need to drive to the gym. Grow extra food and give it to your friends. Feed them real food. Have a dinner party. No need to drive to the restaurant. Save the gas for when you/we really need it. Save seeds that have adapted to your climate (even if it is changing). Adapt open-pollinated varieties to suit your needs. Teach others how to grow food. It really is easy, once you get the hang of it; fun and beautiful too, not to mention tasty and fragrant. But you knew all that.

	Organic Design for the organic garden. Creating zones can help focus efforts in the garden... Read More >
	Lettuce: A Garden Essential Steve Peters walks us through the myriad varieties and growing tips for this garden staple... Read More >
	March's Farm Report Erica Renaud brings us news from the New Mexico Research Farm as the crew prepares for a new growing season.... Read More >

To encourage such revolutionary behavior, this month we have a feature on growing lettuce by Steve Peters. Lettuce, you say? Well, since lettuce is often shipped far and wide from a few growing regions on the West Coast, at much expense to the environment, growing your own can make a real difference. And unless it's grown sustainably and organically, it's also hard on the land. Environmental concerns aside, if you're buying lettuce at the supermarket, chances are it has lost what little nutrition it might have had. Lettuce is meant to be consumed fresh, but many of the most flavorful and nutritious (yes, fresh lettuce can actually be quite nutritious) varieties won't ship too far without turning to mush. Steve enlightens us about the many different types of lettuce and how to grow and enjoy them.

Grow lots of lettuce and give it to your friends. Do your part to halt global warming. If growing your own lettuce isn't enough, and I'm sure it isn't, I've contributed a piece on planning a diverse garden, tailored to your needs, climate, and soils. Grow something to add to your lettuce to make a beautiful salad, or to feed and entertain yourself for the rest of your life—whatever works. So grow your garden, and save the planet at the same time. It's easy, and fun!

May it be the best ever,
Scott Vlaun, Editor


Photo caption: A revolutionary salad to change the world and please
your palate.

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