Post Co-contributors: Linda C., dedicated Drumlin Farm volunteer, and Sarah W., Sanctuary Marketing Assistant.
Even though the land is resting and the animals are nesting, the team at Drumlin Farm is hard at work. No one takes the winter off—not even the animals! Folks are busy preparing for upcoming special events and summer camp, teaching farm and natural history in schools and in our winter classes, repairing equipment, removing snow, attending education conferences, distributing Winter CSA shares, hiring people for the next growing and camp seasons, researching new and innovative sustainable farming techniques—and of course the livestock and animals in wildlife care require daily attention, too! No, it is not quiet on the farm front.
In Our Fields…
An old Chinese proverb states, “a snowy winter preludes a bumper harvest.” Spring is only a couple of months away but we are thrilled to have received the winter storm. Not only will all the snow allow us to enjoy wildlife tracking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, it will also provide insulation and moisture for the crops and 
perennials that lie dormant in the winter.
Schedules are organized for crop planning, planting succession, and field rotation. Dozens of fields and hundreds of varieties of veggies make this a “spreadsheet task”. This intensive planning is part of Drumlin Farm’s commitment to sustainable farming and helps to ensure an abundant harvest each year.
In Our Greenhouse…
Here, tray after tray of red and green lettuces, arugula, Tokyo Bekana, and mizuna are continually growing for our Winter CSA members, who also take home delicious root vegetables that are stored in our root cellar. Seeding time for spring planting will soon be upon us and healthy emergent sprouts will begin in our 
greenhouse, gaining strength before being transplanted to the fields to grow for the farmstand, local restaurants, and our Summer CSA members. Learn more about our Summer CSA and join here.
In Our Barns…
The sheep and goats munch in the pastures through the winter months, their diet supplemented with healthy hay. The ewes and does are heavy with babies that will arrive beginning in March. Several calves frolic beside their mothers in the farmyard, and piglets will soon join us in 
the pig barn. Egg Mobiles will once again move around the pastures (they are stationary in the winter) and the chickens will continue to lay colorful, nutrient-rich eggs.
In Our Wildlife Sanctuary and in Our Forests…
The animals on Bird Hill and in Drumlin 
Underground snugly await winter visitors, and our program animals visit schools to teach about natural habitats. The deer are foraging, and the field mice, chipmunks, and other wildlife that live in our forests spend much of their time underground where they are protected from extreme temperatures.
Before we know it, the maple trees on the farm will be tapped for their sap so it can be boiled down into maple syrup. When the sap begins to run, you know the annual Sap-to-Syrup Farmer’s Breakfast 
isn’t far behind. Visit our website to learn more about this hearty convivial breakfast on March 16 and 17.
As you can see, there is plenty of winter activity at Drumlin Farm. It is a great season to visit and witness farm and nature prepare to spring to life.