THE OPTIMISTIC FARMER-January 2026

theoptimisticfarme
Jan 1
3 min read

2026 January Edition

Tall and (Small) Tales from the Great Basin of Northeast Nevada

Well, we made it, another year in the books, and for gardeners there are only fun filled days on the horizon! You know the gig, the weather is cold, however hope is alive and seed catalogs are arriving or are in the mail. For those of you that can just not wait, there are actually plants you can start indoors in January...stay tuned and later in this edition you can learn which are some of the best ones!

News from the garden

January is the month we start to turn our dreams and ideas into resolutions. We have all heard of them, made them, and even broken them! A resolution is a firm decision to do something, or a course of action determined or decided on. The good news is, if you slip up here and there, remember the oxen may be slow, but the earth is patient!! If your motto is there is always next year, now is the beginning of next year and time to bring those vision boards to life.

Innovations and Ideas

Since we are on the subject of ideas did you know there are ways you can help improve your creativity and unlock a flow of ideas? Practicing gratitude and thinking optimistically can help the creative juices! Learning a new skill, collaborating with others, meditation, and journaling are also excellent ways to help generate ideas. Brainstorming and exploring multiple perspectives are options to improve your idea skills and the biggie is you have to sometimes take a risk to convert your idea into your reality.

Inner Work

We have all heard the mantra "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", but did you know drinking a cup or two of water when you wake up helps with digestion and detoxing your body? Nature provides all sorts of ways to improve our health, twenty minutes of walking per day is great for better heart health and one serving of leafy greens improve immunity and can give you healthier skin. Last, but not least, on the cold, but sunny days of this month soak up the sun for 5 minutes to boost your vitamin D!

Plants in Science:

This time of the year is a good time to turn your attention to your houseplants. We all know that talking to your plants will help them grow and it is also important to listen to the language of your plants. Like ourselves, well-being is the natural state of plants, and following a few basic processes plants should grow as expected. If things are starting to go amiss, you will usually see tell-tale signs. The leaves are usually the main communicator, and they can give us many clues on how to remedy certain conditions. Dry areas around the edge, your favorite Ivy may be saying, "Hey I know you are busy, but I could use a little water!". Research has shown that talking positively to your plants is helpful, some say there is even a science behind the idea! If you notice chunks from the edges, you may have a bug feasting on your plants. The Google machine has more specific information for specific plants, so if your plants are communicating to you and you need more info or help with translation, research is your best friend!

The Science Behind Talking to Plants for Better Growth

Last, but Not Least:

As promised, now is the time to learn what seeds you can start indoors now for spring planting. Most are considered cold weather crops, so you can start them indoors now and plant them outside in early spring, using the guide below onions, leeks, celery, broccoli, cabbage among others are hearty candidates! All of these and more are options if you want to try your hand at winter sowing, January is not too late to get your milk jugs planted.

10 Seeds to Start Indoors in Winter to Get a Jump Start on Spring