There is a particular kind of restlessness that arrives with the first genuinely warm weekend of spring. You know the one. The windows go up, the coffee gets taken outside, and suddenly the garden beds are calling your name with an urgency that feels almost unreasonable.

Easter weekend is almost here, and if you are already drafting a mental to-do list that includes raking out the beds, cutting back last year's perennials, and getting a jump on the season, we have one gentle but firm suggestion.

Wait.

Not because the work is not worth doing. It absolutely is. But here in southwestern Ontario, early April is still prime time for overwintering pollinators, and the leaf litter and hollow stems you are itching to clear away are doing important work right now. Bumblebee queens are still tucked beneath the surface, waiting for soil temperatures to consistently reach around 10 degrees Celsius before they emerge. Ground beetles, native bees, and a whole community of beneficial insects are sheltering in exactly the places that look like they need tidying. Clearing too early does not just disrupt the mess. It disrupts the ecosystem underneath it.

Spring is here, and in Southwestern Ontario that means maple syrup season has started! We are very lucky in St. Thomas and Elgin County to have so many local syrup shanty's and maple syrup farmers, and nothing tastes sweeter than fresh, local maple syrup! As part of the Maple Belt, many of our local maple syrup farms open up their doors to the public for behind-the-scenes and educational tours, family activities, and hot breakfasts served up with fresh maple syrup. So grab your plaid jackets and gather your family and friends to head out and enjoy the short but sweet season while it lasts! 

If you've ever cracked open a fresh egg from your local farmers' market and noticed the deep golden yolk, firm whites, and rich flavour, you already know there's something special about farm-fresh eggs. Eggs bought directly from local farmers often taste better, cook better, and are connected to your local communities and farmers. At the Horton Farmers' Market in Downtown St. Thomas, some farmers bring fresh eggs each week, giving you access to some of the freshest eggs available, in addition to local poultry, meats, and more. But what qualities make local eggs so different? 

After moving to Canada, Bella Kim quickly found herself missing her families Korean home cooking, especially her grandmother's kimchi. A staple side dish in Korean households going back over two thousand years, kimchi is a traditional fermented vegetable dish, typically made with napa cabbage or radish, seasoned with chili, garlic, ginger, and other spices. "Kimchi is an important part of Korean culture, but for me, it also carries personal memories and family history," Bella explained. "To me, it is more than just food - it holds tradition, love, and connection." So when Bella decided to start making her family kimchi recipe, she figured that other people in her community might enjoy the dish as well, so she started Bella's Ferment Co. (previously known as Bella's Acacia Catering) in 2019.