The February 2024 Guide

Well hello, friend!

February always feels like a short month, and this year was no exception, even with its extra day (Happy Leap Day, by the way!). I’ve always felt that February is a gift; it goes by quickly, helping spring feel like it’s right around the corner. This year felt a bit different. January had a snowstorm that’ll probably be discussed in my state of Iowa for years, and this month had some oddly warm temperatures. This warmth made it feel more like May than winter.

I don’t usually say I get spring fever as quickly as others; instead, I relish in my forced hibernation. But 60°F doesn’t feel like ideal weather for snuggling under a blanket.

Spring fever, or perhaps we should call it “weird weather syndrome,” allowed me to be outdoors much more than in past winters, but with the sometimes guilt-like feeling that I should be doing some yard work. I have a lot to say about garden cleanup during the winter, but we’ll get to that later. I’ll admit that the weather and being outdoors gave my mood a tremendous boost. I’m constantly reminded that movement and the great outdoors are so incredibly good for our mind, body, and spirit!

As I’m typing this, our temperature has dropped from a high of 70°F today to a low of 14°F tonight. I’m now under a blanket with Kip snuggled in my lap, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Hopefully, you’re enjoying whatever weather you may have and dreaming of a new growing season ahead. Grab something to drink, and let’s catch up!

Let’s talk about the garden.

Winter weather can vary from one year to the next, but history has consistently proven that we need to wait to do many outdoor cleanup chores. Pollinators overwinter in perennial debris and need consistent temperatures above 50°F before waking up. Cleaning up too early, while it may feel satisfying, depletes their habitat. Warm temperatures can also be erratic. A few warm days feel like the perfect time to clear the garden beds, but snow could still surprise us. If cleaned up too early, all the protection the plants provided for pollinators is gone, and they could be damaged by cold and snow. The moral of the story: wait until later.

What I did do was trim the fruit trees in the orchard. Trimming fruit trees when dormant helps them heal quicker while there’s no sap flowing. Most years, I’m bundled up for this task, but I had to shed layers in the warm sun this year. I prune all the trees in the orchard using the open-vase method. This means that I remove the tree’s center while they are still young. Now, I selectively prune each tree to encourage lateral growth, helping the tree get the best sunlight and air circulation while keeping the fruit at lower heights for easy picking.

Good sharp tools are essential for pruning. Here are some of my favorites:

• ​Felco hand pruners*
• ​Felco folding hand saw*
• ​Felco loppers​
• ​Gloves*

*These are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if the item is purchased using my link.

I use my hand pruners and gloves all year, while the loppers and hand saw are just for pruning, which I only do during times of dormancy.

Let’s talk about food.

Even though it’s felt a bit like spring here lately, I’ve still been enjoying soup season. And while this may be super subjective, a few nights ago, I think I made the best chili I’ve ever created. I’ve long loved chili and consider myself quite the chili aficionado. During my college years, I’d ask Mom to make a batch to enjoy before leaving for the fall semester. Yes, even though it was August, I ate soup and loved every bite.

Nowadays, I often make my slow cooker chili recipe, but I tend to adjust it slightly every time. This is how my turkey quinoa chili and black bean and squash chili recipes came to be.

For this most recent best-ever batch, I added 1 tbsp of dark cocoa powder. For years, I’ve heard people talk about how the depth of flavor is enhanced with the cocoa powder… and lo and behold, they’re right! Suffice it to say that I’ll now add some cocoa powder to my chili. Try it the next time you make chili, and let me know what you think!

I’m allowing the warmer weather to inspire me to try some spring-themed food. And that means focusing on salads and bowls, which have been my weeknight go-to recently. My favorites are my chicken and curried lentils harvest bowl and apple cider quinoa kale salad. I keep making them, using substitutions as needed. I don’t have apple cider on hand this time of year, so I use chicken stock as an easy substitute.

In case you missed any of them, here’s every new recipe from this month:

• ​Creamy corn chowder​
• ​Sweet potato chili nachos​
• ​Ham & onion jam sliders​
• ​Meatloaf meatballs with Parmesan polenta​
• ​Overnight sourdough bread​
• ​Chocolate chip banana bread​
• ​Loaded taco squares casserole, which so many of you enjoyed. I’ve loved seeing all of your pictures of this totally customizable dish!
• ​Lasagna casserole (this just came out today!)

Let’s talk about Kip.

I have nothing but good things to say about Kip! For those new here, here’s a little bit of background.

Kip is my 5 1/2-year-old French bulldog. In 2021, he woke up one Sunday morning with paralysis in his back legs. After a load of tests and a weeklong intensive care stay, he was diagnosed with Meningomyelitis caused by a rare auto-immune disease. The doctors tried numerous medications and treatments with limited success.

Kip didn’t begin walking again for about nine months, slowly and steadily gaining some mobility. He’ll never be 100%, but I believe his walk is perfect! That’s why I call him my little miracle.

Monthly, he gets a small dose of chemotherapy, which acts as an immune suppressant. And daily, he takes some medications to control his bladder and auto-immune function. He loves this warmer weather, so we’ve been running and playing outside.

As I type this, he’s now lying in his bed in a sunny spot. I’m so lucky to have Kip!

That’s all for this month! I know the next month will go super fast with the garden season about to begin and the weather staying consistently warmer. Until we chat again, take care and stay positive!