Hi, December! The Latest News from Farm & Larder and Bella Luna Farms

As we transition from a snowy last week of November into the first of December, the days are getting shorter and shorter while also seemingly getting busier and busier during the start of this merry holiday season!

Unaware of everything going on beyond the gates of Bella Luna, the resident animals go about their daily routine of eating, ruminating, and sleeping—what a life! During the snow flurries that came and went over the past week, the braver goats went out to frolic in the white powder, while the donkey observed their silly antics from inside his cozy enclosure. The hens still venture out to their enclosure to peck around during the day before retreating back to roost once the darkness falls.

A hush has fallen around the hives in the apiary as the bees are now in their winter clusters, huddling around the queen to keep everyone warm and fed. The last of the leaves have fallen, and the bounty of the summer and fall has been stored away—the apples and pears have been harvested and the tomatoes have been canned to enjoy throughout the upcoming winter. We harvested carrots and beets before the hard frost, and moved the Meyer lemon trees into the hoophouse for the winter.

We have been busy putting the ornamental flower gardens to bed and also adding heavy straw mulch to the vegetable plots, which will remain fallow over the winter to protect the soil and keep weeds at bay. In other areas of the vegetable garden and in our cut flower field, we planted cover crops which will be tilled in during the spring to help add nutrients to the soil before planting. We are busy digging and storing dahlia tubers, and the first seed catalog has just arrived in the mail!

As the holiday shopping season commences, look no further than the farm. We have a little something for everyone on your list, with subscriptions to Farm & Larder’s weekly delivery service, gift cards or gift baskets all available for purchase. We would love to put together a custom gift basket or flower arrangement for you—please let us know how we can help!

On a scheduling note, we truly appreciate your kindness and understanding around our delivery cancellation this past week. Coming up, the last F&L delivery of the year will be on Thursday, December 15th and then we will pick back up again per usual in the New Year—we will keep you posted on dates and details here in the next few weeks so you can mark your calendars. From all of us here at the farm, we wish you and yours a merry holiday season and a Happy New Year!