Freighter View Farms

The days at Freighter View Farms are quiet now, wrapped in the still embrace of winter. The freighters, now absent as they rest for the season, leave a quiet void along the Saginaw River, their presence already missed but promising a return come spring. In the gardens, frost glitters like fine lace on the resting beds. The garlic clings to life, and the last carrots hidden under the snow, have been unearthed for the Christmas meal. This is a season of pause, of gratitude, and of dreaming.

Winter invites reflection. It’s a time to sit with the memories of the year just passed, tracing the cycle of planting, growing, and harvesting that defines life here. The garden tells its story in every small detail, the sweet burst of Sugar Baby watermelons savored on a summer afternoon, the first blush of zinnias in bloom, the basil sprigs now thriving on the windowsill as a fragrant promise of meals to come.

This Christmas, as the lights glowed warmly against the darkness and the smell of homemade cinnamon swirl bread filled the house, I found myself reflecting not only on the meals but on what they represent. The pizza we enjoyed on Christmas Eve, its sauce made from summer’s tomatoes, felt like more than food, it was a bridge between seasons, a connection between the warmth of the past and the hope of the future. The breakfast charcuterie board on Christmas morning, brimming with fruits, nuts, and homemade treats, was a reminder of the simple abundance a year of care and planning can bring.

But as much as this season is about looking back, it is equally about looking forward. The new year brings with it the clean slate of possibility, a chance to imagine and create anew. At Freighter View Farms, each year carries its own theme, a guiding thread that shapes the garden’s purpose and personality. One year, it was Italian inspiration; heirloom tomatoes, sweet peppers, and basil whispering of summer evenings. Another year, a French theme brought delicate haricots verts and fragrant thyme to the forefront. These themes have become more than a way to organize the garden; they are a way to dream.

For 2025, the vision is clear: to grow not just food but meals deliberately planned gardens that bring joy to the table. A Row of robust sauce tomatoes will become the heart of canning sessions, filling jars that carry the taste of summer into the darkest winter days. A rainbow of salad greens will spill from raised beds, fresh and tender for simple lunches enjoyed outdoors. Flowers: zinnias, sunflowers, dahlias, calendula, and cosmos will dance in the breeze, bringing beauty and pollinators alike.

Saving seeds, too, will remain a cornerstone of next year’s efforts. The packets I gave as Christmas gifts, each stamped with the Freighter View Farms logo, carry more than seeds, they carry stories, memories, and the hope of future blooms. In 2025, I want to deepen this practice, saving seeds from new plants and sharing them with even more friends and family. There is something profoundly satisfying in knowing that a flower blooming hundreds of miles away began its life here, in this soil.

And then, there are the challenges. Gardening is never without its struggles, but even in those moments, there are lessons. Late frosts, unexpected pests, or simply the demands of time and energy; they are all part of the story. This year, I resolve to embrace those challenges, to view them not as roadblocks but as opportunities to adapt and grow.

As I write, the seed catalogs sit nearby, their pages a tapestry of possibility. Each circled variety feels like a whisper of the future, a spark of excitement for the season ahead. Planning the garden is its own form of creation, a quiet act of hope and imagination in the coldest months of the year. It’s a reminder that every seed contains a world of potential, just waiting for the right conditions to bloom.

Here at Freighter View Farms, the seasons are more than markers of time, they are chapters in an ongoing story. Winter’s stillness is not an end but a beginning, a time to gather strength and vision for the growth to come. And so, as the new year approaches, I find myself filled with gratitude for this land, for its cycles and gifts, and for the community of family, friends, and readers who share this journey.

To all who follow along, thank you for being part of the story. May your own gardens, wherever they are, bring you joy, connection, and the deep satisfaction of growth. Here’s to 2025! A year of new seeds, new challenges, and new possibilities.

Let’s grow together.