Farm and kitchen garden
The Working Year
A guide for central Portugal. The weather sets the real dates.
January
The Farm
- Check roofs and dry bedding after storms
- Keep hay off the floor and inspect the stack
- Check tracks and drainage before moving machinery
The Backyard
- Pick winter lettuce and chard as needed
- Inspect cabbage and kale for damage
- Use the brick oven when a firing makes sense
February
The Farm
- Assess remaining forage before spring growth
- Repair gates and fences while access is possible
- Watch for water standing in low fields
The Backyard
- Keep winter beds weeded and open to light
- Start tomatoes under protection if nights allow
- Plan the next quick crops before clearing beds
March
The Farm
- Check pasture growth before turning stock onto it
- Inspect hives on a suitable warm day
- Plan hay cutting around growth, not the calendar
The Backyard
- Sow a short run of salad leaves
- Prepare tomato beds without rushing the soil
- Harvest the last of the cool-season greens
April
The Farm
- Cut the first hay only if it is ready
- Dry and store bales under a sound roof
- Clear access around fences and water points
The Backyard
- Set out tomatoes once cold nights ease
- Sow beans in workable soil
- Keep new transplants watered and checked
May
The Farm
- Cut and bale hay when the weather holds
- Check livestock water as days warm up
- Watch hive space and colony strength
The Backyard
- Pick peas and any remaining spring greens
- Set out peppers where they have shelter
- Keep tomato supports and watering in order
June
The Farm
- Finish and stack sound bales before heat rises
- Keep pasture access and firebreaks clear
- Check shade and water for livestock
The Backyard
- Pick the first ripe summer fruit as it comes
- Water the root zone rather than the path
- Dry herbs in small, fully dry batches
July
The Farm
- Check the daily fire danger before machine work
- Keep sheep water and shade dependable
- Inspect the bale roof before an odd storm
The Backyard
- Pick tomatoes and peppers before they soften
- Freeze or preserve surplus to tested recipes
- Keep summer beds mulched and watered
August
September
NowThe Farm
October
The Farm
November
The Farm
The Backyard
- Pick cool-season leaves as they grow
- Check drainage around the garden beds
- Bake bread in the family brick oven