Thoughts of a ripe red tomato in August are probably the last thing on your mind right now, but how about seeds to start those summertime vegetables in your garden? Due to the pandemic last year, housebound would-be gardeners took to the Internet, wiping out seed suppliers of their inventories. By May, you couldn’t purchase tomato or lettuce seeds to save your BLT sandwich.

For those who are procrastinators, purchasing eggplant or pepper plants at the local farm stand or garden supply centers, you might want to be the early bird this year. Last year those venues hesitated in ordering stock due to the virus which left many customers empty-handed.

For those newbie gardeners out there, who are planning your first cucumber, corn, or tomato patch — think fencing. The groundhogs may now be in their winter dens below ground, but come spring, your newly-sprouted string beans—without a fence—will be history. And make that fence at least six feet tall to deter deer as well.

For those without sunlight in your yard, try the community gardens at either Pinecrest Golf Course (run by the local Agricultural Commission) or plots at the Community Farm on Rogers Road (run by the Community Farm Advisory Board). More to come on how to reserve one of those 10′ x 10′ spaces in a future article.

For those just too busy or who don’t want to get your hands dirty—maybe a trip to the proposed Farmers’ Market at Blair Square this summer will suit your style of being close to Mother Nature without too much effort. First day of Spring is a little over two months away.