Grow Your Own

This is the last week of April. April has thus far lived up to it's promises. April showers bring May flowers. April 2024 has brought plenty of severe weather to most parts of the Midwest. Storms can be devastating, especially when they spawn twisters. In the Midwest, that's something that comes with the territory. Those same storms that bring damaging hail, wind, and lightning also bring much needed rain for spring vegetation. Farmers rely on winter and spring precipitation to grow grasses and crops. The last couple summers have been stingy with the rainfall, so US Wellness farms have relied more heavily on the benefits of regenerative agriculture. We're hoping 2024 will replenish rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds and provide a more adequate supply of rain for pastures to thrive. We don't have a crystal ball, but some prognosticators see 2024 as a wetter than normal year. With summer having it's earliest start in the last 128 years, we'll know soon enough.

May is also the time of year for gardening. There is nothing quite so fulfilling as having your hands in the dirt, working and amending soil, planting seedlings — all with the expectation of fresh fruit and veggies to come. It's a wonderful reminder of how we can work with nature. Managing a garden requires patience, a solid work ethic, and plenty of soap. If the rain doesn't come, you'll need to water your garden too. You may also need to provide some fertilizer. Too much and you'll burn up your plants. Too little and your harvest may be stunted. Composting does wonders for a garden and provides much needed natural fertilizer. It's very similar to what we do on our cattle farms as cattle trample part of the grasses into the ground as they graze. Those trampled grasses decay and along with their leavings will provide compost for underground critters to work on, further improving the health of the soil. Many gardeners will save kitchen scraps like egg shells, coffee and tea grounds, banana peels, fishy water from a nearby lake or pond, and even aged manure from farm animals to help their garden thrive. When you take the first bite of your very own cucumber, ear of sweet corn, spinach, or tomato, you'll appreciate the work that went into making it happen. Gardening is also a wonderful experience for children. Put them to work in the garden and they'll have an opportunity to literally see the fruits of their labor.

Remember, Mother's Day is fast approaching. We only have a couple of weeks to plan for mom's special day. If you're serving your mom for Mother's Day, consider preparing her favorite meal. We have a wide range of delicious main courses to help make it a memorable day. What does she enjoy? Will it be a Standing Rib Roast, Pork Sirloin, Shrimp, Filet Mignon or a Lamb Roast?

All the Best,  Team USWM