Hey there, Reader!

Every year around this time, Dave and I find ourselves racing the first frost. The air turns crisp, the leaves start to fall, and we're beckoned with the challenge of how long we can keep the fall garden growing.

The good news? With a little planning, you can protect your crops and harvest fresh greens even through winter. Here’s how we do it at Bethany Farm:

❄️ Start simple with cold frames.
​ They’re like mini-greenhouses made from old windows or clear lids. A good cold frame can make your garden feel like it’s one USDA zone warmer.

🌿 Use row covers for extra warmth.
​ A light fabric cover keeps frost off your crops and traps the heat of the soil underneath.

🏡 Think bigger with a greenhouse or a cold frame.
​ If you’ve ever dreamed of growing citrus, herbs, or salad greens year-round, a greenhouse makes it possible. But until that greenhouse day comes for us, we use low tunnels. Think of these as "pop-up greenhouses." These keep our leafy greens like collards, lettuce and kale in production

The key to winter gardening isn’t fighting the cold but working with it. Certain plants like cilantro, celery, parsley persist with a little protection. In the flower world, I have nandinas and hellebores awakening without help from me. A Korean tea farmer near me, says his particular type of hardy camelias actually blooms in the snow.

If you’d like more ideas on how to keep your garden alive this season, check out our full blog on year-round gardening:

Here’s to growing through every season, even the quiet ones.

Grow abundantly,
Nicky & Dave

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