There’s a particular kind of hush at this time of year, that quiet, expectant pause between the stark stillness of winter and the first rush of green that heralds spring. In the Pagan calendar, this is Imbolc: a celebration of light returning, the stirrings of new life beneath the soil, and a gentle reminder that growth is already underway, even if we can’t yet see it.
Here at Real Food Garden, this year has started with more than the usual damp and drizzle. Our nearest weather station has recorded rain every single day so far in 2026, making it one of the wettest starts to the year on record. It’s been relentless at times, and while the rain & storms test boots, patience, and polytunnels alike, it also reminds us of the life-giving power of water: nourishing the soil, the roots, and all the new growth to come.
2026: Ten Years on the Farm
This year feels especially meaningful. 2026 marks our 10th year on the farm! Ten seasons of planting, harvesting, learning, and growing alongside this patch of Cornwall we call home. It’s a milestone that reminds us of everything we’ve built together: strong roots in the soil, a resilient small business, and a vibrant community of veg box customers, workshop participants, and fellow growers.
Planting for the Future
Despite the rain, we’ve been busy planting raspberry, gooseberry, and blackberry bushes, adding to our orchard. These plants won’t bear much fruit immediately, but they are an investment in the long term, a promise of sweet harvests in years to come. Like all good foundations, these bushes are rooted in patience, care, and the belief that what we plant now will feed us and our community in the future.
It feels fitting to plant them now, at Imbolc, when the world is poised between rest and renewal. They’re a symbol of the foundations we’ve built over ten years, and the new growth we’re nurturing for the seasons ahead, even if the rain slows our spade work and keeps boots soggy for a little longer!
Grow Your Own: Helping Others Plant Their Seeds
Our Grow Your Own courses are another way we celebrate beginnings. Whether it’s teaching someone to sow their first seeds, nurture seedlings in a polytunnel, or plan a vegetable patch, these courses are about laying strong foundations for gardens, for knowledge, and for confidence. Seeing people leave a course with a plan, a sense of possibility, and a handful of seedlings is a reminder that growth isn’t just about what happens in our fields, but in our wider community too.
Building on Our Foundations — Literally!
Spring is also the season we’ve chosen to start building our house. Like planting fruit bushes or teaching workshops, it’s a step that combines vision with patience. We’re building something that will grow with us, shaped by everything we’ve learned over a decade on the farm. It’s exciting, and a little daunting — but isn’t that part of every new beginning?
Spring, Growth, and Gratitude
This Imbolc and spring, we’re reflecting on how far we’ve come and looking forward to what’s next. From our newly planted berries to our blossoming workshops, and from the foundation of our orchard to the first walls of our home, everything we do is built on strong, carefully nurtured roots.
Even after a record-breaking start to the year, the soil is ready, the shoots are pushing, and the promise of growth is irresistible. There’s a lot to be grateful for: ten years on this land, a community that grows with us, and the chance to keep planting seeds, literal and metaphorical, for the future.
Here’s to spring, new beginnings, and the strong foundations that make growth possible. May your gardens, like ours, be full of promise, potential, and joy this season.