Dishing the Dirt: January & February 2026

“In the depth of winter, 

I finally learned that within me 

There lay an invincible summer.” 

-Albert Camus 

Hello my friends. It seems that 2026 has gotten off to quite a “wintery” start- both literally and figuratively. We must dig deep and, yet again, tap on our reserves of inner strength in order to find joy and warmth in this dark, wintery time. Whether it be current events, illness, a fight with a loved one, a destroyed greenhouse, a scary bank account balance, or the relentless cold and dark, the beginning of 2026 has been a challenging one for us all. If you are sad or scared or worried, you are not alone. 

BUT…. 

Regardless of how unlikely it seems, these times will pass. Spring will come. There is still good news to read. People still care. People still work hard to help their neighbors. Birds come to the feeders. Chickens lay eggs. Greenhouses get rebuilt. The sun shines again. 

Don’t give up my friends. We won’t either. 

So, let’s share some good news! 

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/9e0e67_4ae3a57a23bf4ed7a9ef4efe54742e06/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

-Yes, the greenhouse was destroyed by the ice and sleet. NOT good news, I know, BUT we have been able to save all of the greenhouse film and we will be able to reuse it! Our old greenhouse was called a high-tunnel. It was about 14 feet tall. We have made the decision to build low-tunnels instead of rebuilding the high-tunnel. The low tunnels will be about 3 feet tall. We will still be able to grow cold-weather crops such as kale, broccoli, lettuce, and spinach throughout the winter. It is unfortunate that we lost the high-tunnel- we lost all of the crops which were growing inside. The good news is that the ducks and chickens were thrilled to be able to eat what remained. As soon as the snow clears, we will build the low-tunnels and try to get a good headstart for spring. 

-Speaking of our amazing ducks and chickens, thanks to them, we have been able to donate 86 dozen eggs to the food pantries so far this year! They have been extremely good sports in this weather. 

-The Chestertown Rotary Club has awarded Sandy’s Garden a mini-grant to help finance our operation! Thank you! 

-Emmanuel Episcopal Church invited Sandy’s Garden to speak at their Green Team speaker series this past weekend. They were extremely supportive of our mission, and gave us a generous donation. Thank you! 

-Last, but not least, I have seen daffodils beginning to pop up! Spring is indeed close! In fact, it is LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY!!!! 

So you see, my friends, good abounds. Thank you for helping make Sandy’s Garden a source of sunshine in these dark winter months. Please remember that volunteers are always welcome, whether it be a regularly scheduled time, or simply a once-in-a-while occurrence. Visit our website and fill out the volunteer form. 

Thank you! 

Sandy 🙂 

Sandy Zappia 🙂

Executive Director