I feel like we have been waiting for spring’s arrival for months.  Perhaps that’s because we have.  Winter was long and harsh this year.  We saw more than our fair share of snow and endured a lot of cold weather all with an eager eye on the first day of spring’s arrival.

We have passed the day in March that signals spring’s return.  Of course, as New Englanders, we fully expect for that date on the calendar to pass with several weeks (or perhaps months) to wait before spring truly returns.  Last week, I found myself shaking my head and watching as snow and freezing rain fell rapidly from the sky.  It seemed as if this long winter would never come to an end.

While locals and meteorologists prognosticate about temperature warming trends and the coming season’s outlook, I pay little attention.  I don’t need to.  Instead, I wait for the animals to predict the weather.  I find that they are much more effective at forecasting the weather the lies ahead.

Several weeks ago, the goats here at 1840 Farm heralded the arrival of spring.  Tufts of soft undercoat started to appear everywhere we looked in their barn and pen.  While the temperatures still felt chilly to all of us, they were clearly preparing for the arrival of warmer temperatures and sunnier days.

Then the hens decided to follow suit.  They welcome spring to 1840 Farm in the most delicious of ways:  by leaving a surplus of beautifully fresh eggs in the nest boxes every day.  During the last three weeks, we have found ourselves collecting up to 14 eggs a day from our 17 heritage breed hens.  Gathering over five dozen fresh eggs each week certainly puts me in the mood to celebrate the arrival of spring!

Our five bantam hens that live in our garden coop have joined in the celebration.  This is their first spring, and they seem to be very pleased with the warmer temperatures and longer days of sunshine.  During the month of April, their weekly egg production has rocketed from around 5-7 eggs to between 12-15 lovely fresh eggs.

In the coming weeks, our beautiful little bantams will begin the work of tilling the raised beds in our garden.  The full sized hens will enjoy longer days spent outside and so will all of us living here at 1840 Farm.  It will be time to prepare the garden beds, plant seeds, and continue to tend to the seedlings living in our improvised growing chamber.  When we harvest the first full meal from the coop and gardens, we’ll all be ready to celebrate the arrival of another growing season.

This year, I have even more reason to celebrate.  I have been collaborating with fellow Community Chickens contributor Jennifer Sartell from Iron Oak Farm on a project for those of you who love gardening as much as we do. The 1840 Farm Heirloom Seed Collection contains some of my favorite varieties of heirlooms to grow in the gardens here at 1840 Farm.

All of the seeds are heirloom and non-GMO.  Each packet comes with Jennifer’s beautiful artwork, planting instructions, and a detailed description of the heirloom.  The edibles come complete with my family’s favorite recipe so that you can enjoy them around your family’s table.