Celebrating the Holidays and Curing the Winter Doldrums with EP!C Harvest

Technically, it is not winter until December 22. But when the temperature is consistently hovering around freezing, it has snowed multiple times, and I no longer leave the house without a hat and gloves, the name is just a formality. Though winter plays host to a number of much needed holidays to break up the stream of frigid days, it is nevertheless easy to get a case of the winter doldrums. It may seem counter-intuitive considering garden and winter don't exactly go well together, but the EP!C Harvest program has the cure.

Marc striking a pose among a multi-colored crowd

You might think that there is nothing more depressing than seeing an empty garden during the winter with hard, frostbitten soil, possibly with a few dead plant scraps frozen in place. And I would tend to agree with you, but the Harvest program is happily much more than just an outdoor garden. The outdoor garden has indeed closed up shop: organic plant matter has been added to the soil for a boast in nutrients, cover crops of rye and hairy vetch planted, and the hardy spinach and kale covered. Though the garden is closed, Marc Britton, the brain behind the veggies, can be seen on any given day working in the greenhouse among planters, packets of seeds, and organic soil supplements or buzzing throughout the building delivering centerpieces and making arrangements for the next growing season.

Adam, Maria, and Jaclyn from Dunlap
High showing off their hard work

Rather than sinking into the inactivity characteristic of winter, Marc is hard at work getting ready to celebrate the holidays, growing microgreens for Table 19, and preparing for next year. The big project this week is getting the first bunch of poinsettias from the annual poinsettia sale ready for distribution. Marc and some helpers from Dunlap High School have also been busy creating beautiful holiday centerpieces from recycled wooden pallets. Meanwhile, there are boxes of microgreens tucked away in the corner of the greenhouse observing all of the holiday hubub and getting ready to be shipped off to Table 19.

The microgreens for Table 19 waiting out the
storm of holiday festivities

Even beyond all the excitement of the holiday season, Marc and the Harvest program are never at a loss for something to do. There is always planning to be done for next year, including preparations to seed the flowers for the spring flower sale and seed selection for the next growing season. In fact, when I asked Marc about what he does during the winter months, he not only gave me a list of all the projects he works on, but also added that if he finds himself with a case of the winter blahs, he makes himself a hot cup of tea and browses seed catalogs for the next growing season.

A unique variety of speckled watermelon waiting
to be planted next growing season

Marc sifting through his seed collection,
including his red habanero peppers!

Marc's never-ending list of projects and plans, and even his own remedy for the winter doldrums, point to the larger theme of EP!C Harvest: looking forward. The Harvest program is continuously reaching out further into the community, cultivating not only fantastic produce and flowers, but also relationships with community members, partners, and businesses (see Harvest products for example at Table 19 at the Pere Marquette, Naturally Yours Grocery, and Alwan and Sons Meat Company). It is constantly developing and improving as it gains visibility and support through its connections to local restaurants, grocers, families, and volunteers. In the coming year, it will even be working with Mark Schneider from Living Water Farms to improve its efficiency and use of the greenhouse space, especially for microgreens. The Harvest program is spreading the word about the impact EP!C has while also providing high-quality produce for the community and horticultural training for the individuals at EP!C. (Stay tuned for news about EP!C Harvest's changes and growth!)

Now that's view that will brighten your day!

So when we are struck with the winter doldrums, we don't have to look any further than the Harvest program. With the greenhouse overflowing with festive poinsettias, holiday centerpieces, new seeds coming in, and the first seeds of spring already being prepared for sowing, the optimism and constant activity of Harvest will surely perk you up.

If you are looking beat the winter blahs, don't forget to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for a regular stream of inspiration!