MARCH

Subscriber First Name, welcome to the Art of Harvest, where we will journey together to slow down and nourish the soul, soil, and senses.

In a world that often moves too quickly, this newsletter is intended to be a place for pause—a monthly invitation to mindfully connect with the rhythms of creativity, nature, and kitchen.

STUDIO

— for the soul

The Courage of Expression

Have you ever given time for yourself to create lately? The courageous act of telling yourself that it matters to bring something into this world.

This oil painting class has been just that for me. Of course, the act of expressing is rarely easy; by nature, it is revealing and exposing — especially with a real time audience watching you. I have moved through the inevitable waves of the enthusiastic start, self-conscious middle, the reckoning crescendo to prove myself, and the settling at the end. Even if a piece doesn’t work and I feel unsure of my artistic capabilities, I keep reminding myself that it takes courage to step out and try again and again - and I am proud that I keep showing up.

I have had this phrase ringing true in my mind over the past months: The opposite of depression is expression. Although it seems so evident, it has made me wonder why it has taken me so long to commit to carving out creative time. In a society that seems to want us to continually consume, the opposite feels like a quiet rebellion of showing up and keeping the music alive inside.

With the state of the world right now, that seems more pertinent, yet I do feel confronted by these heavy questions: How can I create when there is so much brokenness? How can I find joy when so many are suffering? Sometimes creating feels a bit frivolous and insensitive during these times. Yet, I still feel deep in my core, and remind myself, that the answer lies in the alchemy of art. Art is the vessel where we transform suffering into an offering. If we don’t move through the anger, fear, grief, they become stagnant inside, forming the very weight of depression. But if we transform those heavy emotions into something shared, we bring hope to ourselves and to others.

Poetry that Resonates

With so much pain and confusion in the world right now, poetry feels like a sanctuary — a place to house and move through the heavy emotions. I have found myself immersed in it, with currently 18 poetry books on my nightstand. I am scouring them for souls that resonate, searching for souls that offer both hope and the raw reality of life. I also started listening to the podcast Poetry Unbound by Pádraig Ó Tuama; what a beautiful balm of soft truth. I love how he goes in depth on a single poem, highlighting voices that are marginalized — something the poetry community does so well — and I come away inspired. I particularly enjoyed this episode.

Using this inspiration, I have started gathering the many poems I have scribbled down or hastily typed into my notes on my phone over the years. Reading through them creates a fascinating roadmap of where I have been. As I sift, sort and revise these poems, a tiny hope has taken root in my mind: that maybe one day I can publish a little poetry chapbook. A quiet dream that I will plant for now.

Are there any projects on your horizon? I would love to hear what you have been working on. You are always welcome to reply to this email.

GARDEN

— for the soil

Spring feels like it has arrived already. Amidst all that is happening in the wider world, my heart feels a dissonance with the beauty of spring, but I am learning to welcome the new life. With the longer days now, the sleepy ground is starting to become more active. Here on the island, the bursting forth of snow drops and crocuses are nearing their end, and the white plum blossoms and daffodils are making their appearance. The welcome of flocks of robins in our yard as the earthworms rise to the surface. I can feel the undercurrent starting to hum. And these all signal to us to start sowing some seeds.

Here are a few things to do this month:

• Sow, sow, sow! Here are some things you can start to sow, either indoors or outdoors. If you want to have a helpful guide on when to sow in the coming months, you can refer to my sowing timeline in my Free Garden Planning Guide.

  • Indoors:

    • Spring Onions

    • Peppers (early in the month!)

    • Brassicas (Broccoli, Bok choy/Pac choi, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale)

    • Celery

    • Lettuce

    • Argula

    • Tomatoes

  • Direct sow:*

    • Broad Beans

    • Cilantro

    • Parsley

    • Peas

    • Sweet Peas

    • Radish

    • Spinach

    • Dill

  *If you are worried about slugs, you can sow these into trays before transplanting them out.

If you are curious on the varieties and seed companies I use, I created a list of the ones I am planting this year. Just click the button below to access the blog post.

• Weeding. Get on top of your weeds when they are small. I have a dutch hoe that makes weeding easier - especially at this stage of growth.

• Prune Roses. When you see the forsythia’s yellow blooms, it is time to prune your roses.

• Transplanting & Dividing Plants. Have some plants you want to move? Now is a great time to do so. As well as for dividing ornamental grasses, herbs, flowering fall perennials (aster, rudbeckia, sedum, etc.).

** Note: Where I live, my hardiness zone is 8a - so quite mild. If you live in a lower zone (Okanagan: 6-7; Southern Alberta 4), you may a bit more time to some of these tasks.

KITCHEN

— for the senses

LATE WINTER HARVEST SALAD

March is the bridge between seasons, signifying the end of winter to the opening of Spring. In the harvest salad, we celebrate the last winter roots to the first leafy greens of spring. Pairing the sweetness from the root veggies and balsamic with the bite of the pickled red onion and creamy tang of the feta. It is well-rounded, beautiful combination that is a tasty reminder that the threshold of Spring is here.

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Veggies:

• 4 cups of root veggies, cut into chunks (e.g., carrots, beets, parsnips, or sweet potatoes)

• 1 tbsp of olive oil

• salt & pepper to taste

Dressing:

• 2 tsp of dijon

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• ⅓ cup olive oil

• 1 small garlic clove, crushed

• salt & pepper to taste

Quick Pickled Red Onion:

• ½ red onion, sliced thinly

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar or ACV (apple cider vinegar)

• ¼ cup water

Salad:

• 6 cups of greens (e.g., kale, arugula, mustards, arugula, lettuce)

• ¼ cup of sunflower seeds

• ¼ cup feta crumbled

• Optional: roasted chickpeas or chicken

• Optional: garnish with chopped spring herbs like chives and/or parsley

SEASONAL REFLECTIONS

As we prepare for the garden season by sowing our seeds, I have a seed of my own to plant here.

My hope for this newsletter is not just to share my creative outpourings, but to foster a community. Being a creative can be a lonely space as most of our time is spent dreaming and creating usually in quiet isolation. I have found that having another creative soul to check in with helps overcome those inevitable artist blocks and cycles of self-doubt. We need others to urge us to keep going, to help us tune into our voice and hope, especially when we feel we feel lost.

So here is my seed: Would you want to join me in creating? I am a willing witness for your creative works. You are welcome to reply to this email with whatever you may be creating or have created, whether that be pottery, gardening, dance, poetry, sewing, visual arts, writings, etc. Or perhaps this is simply the push you need to reach out to a trusted creative in your life. Maybe you start a new rhythm of sending one another pictures of your works-in-progress; planting seeds of inspiration together.

Also, my previous newsletter, I reflected on the need for some “pruning”. I realized the one outlet that I was putting much effort into with little return, and much mental drain, has been Instagram. This platform just does not align with who I am and grates against my ability to feel authentic and build community. I value slowness and Instagram does not. For now I am stepping away from that space. My hope is that if there is value here, this community will naturally and organically grow by word of mouth and forwarded emails. Your help in spreading the word here means so much.

Warmly,

Rachael

P.S. If you know someone who might enjoy learning how to create, grow, and eat with the seasons, please feel free to forward this email.