Work and Rest

Most of Howell Farm’s kitchen garden is now covered by a blanket of green – it's the annual ryegrass cover crop Farmer Rob planted in the early fall. The garden appears to be a garden at rest. In many ways it is. Except for some carrots still in the ground and a few other odd plants, the garden's vegetable productivity for the year is over. But of course much is happening above and below the surface. The hardy cover crop is growing, doing its job of preventing soil erosion and keeping out weeds. Degrading plant material is adding organic matter. Worms and other insects are feasting, pulverizing and digesting.