Cold weather plants and year round planting

 Zone 5 planting 

                        We live in zone 5 our planting season is short compared to many others. In Zone 5 I can start in the house with little transplant things on March 1. But you have to really keep an eye on the sky on March 15th we were hit with a snow storm this weekend it was in the 70's we thought of pulling the taps and bam sap is flowing again due to the cold. This weekend our goal is to set up beds for long-term growing cabbage, kale, and swiss chard will go into a cold frame raised bed not in the full garden area so we can harvest it year-round. Our planting season does not really get started till after Mother's day or Mid May. We are outside much of May and May 1 the chicks meet the big chickens.
                        Last year we grew tons of lettuce and it did very well in early spring but it went to seed and got bitter in summer ( fun fact if it gets over 75* you lettuce gets bitter  ) so this year we are doing a smaller bed with 2 planting seasons. 
                    This year the plans are also in the works to get my greenhouse up and going I won't go into that much because that is another blog post altogether. Our main growth in the greenhouse will be greens and fresh things for winter. Also, some things to try like doing 2 different trash can growing potatoes year-round and it will also be a safe place to move all the chickens if need be.
            We were also approved by the state to get bees so now we wait on the village.