The January 2025 Guide

By the end of January, I usually complain about winter. But this year, I have no room to grumble. There’s no snow to shovel, the cold hasn’t been too bad, and the days haven’t been that gray. Winter has been easy so far in southeast Iowa. Meanwhile, a lot of you have been getting snow—maybe you stole it from me!

I’m one of those people who actually likes winter. I love it when it’s cold and snowy, with the wind making drifts outside while I’m cozy inside. There’s something magical about watching it all from the window, dreaming of future projects without the constant guilt of “I should be weeding my flowerbeds.” Winter gives me a pause button, a time when everything feels dormant and yet full of potential.

This month has been a busy one, though! I hosted a holiday-themed photoshoot at my house, and I’m thrilled that it will be featured by a major publisher for the Christmas 2025 season. I can’t spill all the details just yet, but it turned out beautifully, and I can’t wait for you to see it. But don’t worry: my own holiday magazine will still be back for 2025 as well!

On a more personal note, I had carpal tunnel release surgery on my right hand. This has been a long time coming. I’ve dealt with hand pain since high school, and it’s only gotten worse: numbness while sleeping, driving, or pretty much doing anything if my hands weren’t in just the right position. When I finally went to an orthopedic doctor, I wasn’t sure they’d take me seriously since I’m not exactly the typical age for carpal tunnel surgery. But, after some tests, the nurse said that I was definitely a candidate. I was nervous about recovery since I use my hands for everything – gardening, cooking, all that – but it went so smoothly! In fact, I’ve already scheduled surgery for my left hand in February.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be January without a little garden planning. I’ve been sorting through my seeds and ordering everything I’ll need for spring. I love this part of winter: organizing and planning for the year ahead while being warm indoors. More on my seed ordering later below…

I hope you’re staying warm and enjoying something delicious to drink. Personally, I’m sipping on a very hot cup of coffee, just the way I like it!

Let’s talk about food.

January often has a reputation as the “comfort food” month, but honestly, I have an issue with that idea. To me, I’ve always felt that any food can be comforting. It doesn’t have to be all about heavy casseroles or indulgent dishes. This month, I’ve been focusing on making food that not only warms me up but also makes me feel good from the inside out.

Right now, I’m all about soup. Before my surgery, I prepped a batch of my favorite slow cooker chili as well as my new recipe for sausage lentil soup. Both were exactly what I needed: warm, hearty, and ready to go when I couldn’t use my hand yet. I’d like to say that it was just what the doctor ordered.

But soup isn’t the only thing bringing me joy in the kitchen. Even in the dead of winter, I crave a good salad. Something about those fresh greens reminds me that spring isn’t too far away. Plus, I have a go-to Dijon mustard vinaigrette that I make pretty every single week. It’s ridiculously easy and always in my fridge, ready to dress up salads, roasted veggies, or even some grilled chicken.

The best part? This dressing is totally customizable. If you like it sweeter, add more honey. If you want something even more complex, toss in some citrus zest, fresh herbs, or grated Parmesan. It’s a true multitasker in the kitchen, and once you try it, you’ll see why it’s a staple in my kitchen!

Let’s talk about the spring garden.

I’m holding off on starting seeds for now, as it’s still a little early. Even though we’ve had some warmer winters and tempting early spring days, I stick to our tried-and-true timing. Here in southeast Iowa, our average last frost date is early May, so that’s the reference for all my seed-starting plans (make sure to check out your own frost date). Now, here’s where a little math comes into play.

To figure out when to start each type of seed, I count backward from that early May frost date. Some general guidelines for a few of everyone’s favorites:

• Tomatoes: 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date
• Peppers: 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date
• Lettuce: 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost date. I like to start lettuce indoors if I’m growing heads of lettuce and get those outside early, often under a little cover. For leafy lettuce, I usually direct-sow into the garden for rows I can clip and enjoy fresh.

January is my seed-sorting month. I love picking out new varieties to try, and it’s also when I check on all of the seeds from previous years.

If seeds are older than three years, I test their germination rate to see if they’re still worth planting. Take 10 seeds, fold them in a damp paper towel, and pop them into a plastic bag. After a few days, see how many sprout. If 5 out of 10 sprout, that’s a 50% germination rate. Personally, anything that low isn’t worth the risk, so I opt for fresh seeds to ensure I have the number of seedlings I need. Everyone’s threshold is different, so do what works for you!

In case you’re curious, here are just some of the seeds I ordered this year:

• Cucumbers: Early Fortune, Marketmore, and Parisian Pickling​
• Beets: Detroit Dark Red (always used for my pickled beets) and Golden​
• Hot Peppers: Hungarian Hot Wax (for my hot pepper mustard) and Scotch Bonnet​
• Brassicas: Famosa (cabbage), Tendersweet (cabbage), Clementine (cauliflower), Tessaury (cauliflower), Amethyst (cauliflower), and Spring Raab (broccoli)
• Tomatoes: Amish Paste, Captain Lucky, Hot Streak, and Pancho

Let’s talk about Kip.

Kip has had a super great month! Honestly, I feel like I’m starting to sound like a broken record in these newsletters because, for months now, it’s been nothing but glowing updates about him, and this month’s no different! While I was away in Mexico City for a quick trip to celebrate a friend’s birthday, Kip got to enjoy some quality time at Grandma Camp. My mom spoils and chats with him constantly (not that he talks back verbally); he loves her so much, and I think the feeling is mutual!

The big win for us is that Kip’s chemo treatments are now spaced out to every six or seven weeks! That’s a huge shift from the every three-to-four-week schedule we had been following since his meningomyelitis diagnosis in 2021. It’s a huge relief to have fewer doctor visits, and the best part is that there are no visible signs of regression. The dream is to eventually say goodbye to chemo altogether, and every step in that direction feels like a victory.

This month, Kip didn’t spend as much time outside, but he’s made it his mission to find all the sunniest spots around the house to lounge in. He’s soaking up every bit of winter light and dreaming of spring just as much as I am!

I hope your January was full of fun! Next month always feels super short, so I’ll be back in your inbox in no time! Until then, take care!