his week we had a devastating setback to our farming season: For the second year, we had partnered with a local greenhouse to grow seedlings to supplement what we produce at Hurricane Valley Farm, but sadly, they have closed, breaking our contract without warning, and we are scrambling.

Temperatures are rising, the sap is flowing, seeds have arrived for ~40,000 culturally important starts, and community garden registration begins next week. This all means one thing: The growing season is right around the corner!

The ground may be frozen and farms blanketed in snow, but Cultivating Community’s staff are hard at work preparing for the season ahead.

As we close the year and plan for next season, we are excited to share highlights from our core programs. Our work is possible because of trust, partnership, and support from our community.

Winter may be a time for slowing down, but at Cultivating Community we are just getting warmed up as staff and new leadership reflect on lessons learned from the growing season.

As Cultivating Community welcomes autumn and celebrates the harvest, we are reflecting on what has been a challenging growing season and a summer of renewal.

August is the peak season for local growers. With abundant produce available at local markets it’s also the perfect time to celebrate last week’s National Farmers Market Week.

Though the soggy soil may disagree, it’s officially summer across Cultivating Community’s programs. Find out more about our work and ways to get involved.

The first spring veggies are starting to be harvested and thousands of seedlings are yet to be planted. Summer is waiting on just a little more sun, but fresh, locally grown food will soon begin to flow.