JANUARY

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

This year, I am stepping out of the shadows. I’ve made a promise to embrace the things that scare me and to stop hiding in the face of rejection.

Step one: I started a modern landscape painting course this past week. To be honest? It terrifies me. Being a self-taught artist, I’m already feeling that "imposter syndrome" creeping in—that fear that I’ll finally be "found out." But despite the nerves, I’m so eager to learn from someone with such incredible skills and glean everything I can.

Step two: I’m letting my words be heard. I submitted a poem to a community reading in Nanaimo and it got accepted! I will be reading my poem live early February. You can read the poem by clicking the button below.

I am hoping these acts of stepping out will encourage me to keep creating, meet other artists, and connect to the vibrant art community around me.

GARDEN

— for the soil

This month is all about preparation for the coming season. Before I had a garden, January felt like a difficult stretch of time. Now, I eagerly await this month to envision the growing year ahead.

In the dark still evenings, my mind tends to wander. Dreaming of all the beautiful plants I will put into the soil this coming year. For me, the dreaming is energizing; it is the spark that carries me through these bleak months. It turns the waiting into a creative act of hope.

To help you dive into your own garden "dreaming," I’ve created a FREE Garden Planning Guide to simplify the path from vision to harvest.

I know how overwhelming it can be to sift through endless online advice about companion planting, growing conditions, and sowing schedules. To help, I’ve distilled what I’ve learned into this simplified resource so you can step into your garden with confidence this year.

Inside the guide, you’ll find:

• Categorized Plant Lists: Organized by family and function to take the guesswork out of your seasonal planning

• Seed Suppliers: Where to find high-quality, reliable seeds.

• Growing Conditions: Understanding what your plants need to thrive.

• Companion Planting: My simple formula for a resilient garden.

• Sowing Timeline: A graph breaking down Spring, Summer, and Winter plantings.

• The Layout Grid: A gridded “canvas” to map your space.

• Other Resources: Helpful tools and references to further support your garden vision.

Grab your free guide by clicking the button below and let the dreaming begin!

Here are a few other things to do this month:

• Garden Planning: Start mapping out your dream (see guide above for help!)

• Prep for February Sowing: Gathering supplies for sowing onions, and making sweet potato slips (e.g., sowing soil, trays, grow lights).

• Seed inventory and shopping - go through seeds that you have already in storage, and take account for what you may need to buy this coming season. My favourite local seed companies are:

  • Salt Spring Seeds

  • BC Eco seeds

  • Metchosin Farms

  • Saanich Organic Seeds

  • Pacific Floral Farms

** 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 plan out your garden.

KITCHEN

— for the senses

SPICY ROASTED GARLIC & BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA

Celebrating the winter vegetable that is still keeping in storage: the butternut squash! This slightly sweet vegetable creates a creamy sauce in your pasta night rotation. A comforting dish designed to warm you with the combination of the spice and the nutty richness from this velvety sauce. This recipe is made vegan by using nut milks, which adds a lovely dimension to the dish. Topped with crispy kale and shallots, also other winter vegetables you may have on hand.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp avocado oil

• ½ medium sized butternut squash

• salt & pepper

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled & whole

• ¼ raw cashews

• ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes

• ½ tsp salt

• ¾ cup nut milk

• 4-5 kale stems

• ½ cup shallot

• 1 tsp of oil

• salt, to taste

• 10 oz pasta of choice

SEASONAL REFLECTIONS

Dreaming in January

While this time of year is often loud with New Years resolutions, it can feel out of sync with the natural world. Even as the daylight begins to stretch (yay!), we are still in the darker months; the season of hidden, underground work. If you aren’t ready to 'full hustle' yet, you are not alone.

I find this is the perfect time to dream, plan, and look inward. These are the weeks when we plant the internal seeds that align us with our values going forward. It is a gentle reminder that we must first form roots and stabilize ourselves in the dark before we can ever break through the soil.

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.

(ALSO! I just realized I forgot to press launch on my welcome emails a couple months ago, so you may receive a welcome email in your inbox soon as well.)