Growing Connections on the Allotment This January

January may be the coldest month of the year, but it’s also the perfect time to pause, reflect, and focus on growing connections—with nature, your community, your food, and yourself. While the frost slows outdoor work, it opens up a quieter, more mindful way to enjoy your allotment, garden, or local wild spaces.

January is often seen as quiet, but it’s a chance to plan, start, and experiment with the food you grow. Focus on small steps that create a sense of continuity and anticipation:

Indoor sowing:
Herbs, microgreens, chillies, and early salads can thrive on a windowsill. Watching seeds sprout connects you to the full cycle of growth.

Root vegetables and storage crops:
Check your stored potatoes, carrots, and onions. Selecting seeds or planning succession crops reinforces the link between what you grow and what you eat.

Experimenting with forcing:
Try forcing rhubarb or chicory indoors. These projects create a tangible reward for the winter months.

Reflection:
Growing food in winter may feel slow, but every seed sown is a promise of nourishment and a connection to the land.

Winter foraging is a gentle way to stay engaged with the landscape, even in frost:

Wild garlic, chickweed, sorrel, and sea beet can still be found in hedgerows or sheltered spots.

Nuts and seeds:
Check hedgerows for hazelnuts, beech nuts, or even leftover fruit.

Connection through taste:
Cooking a simple soup or salad with foraged ingredients strengthens your bond to the natural world.

Safety first:
Only forage what you can positively identify and avoid polluted areas.