Letter from Publisher
Peggy Malecki
Welcome to our March issue, which annually ties in with National Nutrition Month. Food and nutrition can carry diverse meanings for each of us, reflecting our unique lifestyles and views. For many, holistic wellness is not merely about sustenance; it’s a way of life. We understand that what we consume acts as a powerful medicine, influencing not only our physical health but also our emotional and mental well-being, as well as the well-being of others with whom we share this planet. How and where our food is grown, handled, processed and transported may all factor into the choices we make at each meal. The importance of our local food systems in supporting the health and wealth of our communities may also factor in as we consider the timeless question, “What’s for dinner?”
For home and community gardeners, it’s time to start indoor sowing of peppers, as well as cool weather crops like broccoli and leafy greens and even tomatoes toward the second half of March (but too early for summer squash and other fast-growing warm weather crops). It’s anyone’s guess, though, whether the warm El Niño temperatures will extend through the entire spring or if we’ll get a dose of chilly weather in April and May to delay setting tender seedlings outdoors.
From parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme to oregano, basil and more specialty choices, early March is also the ideal time to start an herb garden. Most herbs are best planted indoors, and then the seedlings hardened off and transplanted in late spring. A few, however, like cilantro and dill, grow best when sown directly into a container or garden bed. Read more about several herb varieties that can benefit pollinating insects and enhance our own health in “Planting for the Planet.”
Bees and other pollinators play a crucial role in much of the food we consume, yet available native habitat continues to decline globally. As you’ll read in “Pollinator Corridors,” we can help support habitat by growing pollinator plants that attract bees, avoiding pesticides, increasing biodiversity and more in our own yards. In addition, you may wish to check out local nonprofit Chicago Living Corridors and Doug Tallamy’s Homegrown National Park, among others, for more inspiration and resources.
If you’re looking to get outside and experience spring as it unfolds, writer Sheryl DeVore explores where to find native skunk cabbage, an early spring plant growing this time of year in northeastern Illinois, in our Natural Chicago section.
Chilly weather, winds and an occasional snowflake are still a part of early spring in Chicago—perfect conditions to enjoy a hearty, warming soup or casserole made with seasonal ingredients including cabbage and potatoes. We hope you enjoy our recipes from author-chefs Veronica Hinke and Nava Atlas in our Conscious Eating section.
As always, I encourage you to step outside daily and experience the natural world. Look for early spring plants, smell the warming Earth, listen to a chickadee sing its spring song, enjoy a March rain or snow, celebrate the Spring Equinox and gaze in wonder at the full Worm Moon.
Happy Spring!
