Hygge (pronounced "Hoo-gah"): a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment and well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).
Winter time is prime hygge time here in the great Northwoods. Over the holidays, my family and I have been enjoying some evening cross country skiing under the lights along the Birkie trail at the Hwy OO trailhead outside of Cable - one of our frequent wintertime hygge spots. (If you like to XC ski, I promise you it's worth the trip!)
When the snow has tucked the world in under a soft blanket outside, and the pine trees are covered in layers of glittering white snow, contrasting with their deep green needles, and you smile inside at the beauty of it all - that's hygge. When you are cozied up to a woodstove in a cabin cuddled up with your favorite book/beverage/person/cat/dog, that's hygge. It's freezing cold outside but you are warm and relaxed in a sauna? Yep - hygge. And if the Northern Lights are twinkling above you at the same time - prime hygge! But you don't even have to leave your house to have some fantastic hygge moments. Some of my favorite winter hygge comes from a warm kitchen. When you come inside from the cold and your senses are delighted by the delicious smells of a beef roast, root vegetables, and fresh rolls in the oven, that my friends is hygge!
A few weeks ago, while out plowing snow (definitely a hygge task for me in the winter - so satisfying getting all that snow cleared out!) I noticed that the loader on the tractor had developed a pretty severe lean. Upon further inspection, I realized that the front end of the tractor had a large crack in the frame, which had in turn led to a bend in the loader frame. My heart sank as I thought of starting the new year out with a six-thousand dollar bill for a new loader... Thankfully, fellow co-op farmer Tom at Maple Hill Farm agreed to bring the tractor up to his (warm!) shop to work on. In 2 days we got the loader was straightened out and reinforced, and front end frame welded back together. Welding sparks flying, metal disks cutting and grinding steel, machines being made functional again, all with the NPR classical music channel playing in the background... definitely some farmer hygge ;)
Finally, here's an interesting discovery I made this morning, while checking on the winter spinach (it's looking like there will be plenty of spinach next week by the way, so add another bag into your veggie box while they last!) Despite the fact that it is the middle of winter, I found some beautiful fungal hyphae emerging from the soil between some spinach plants. They were so delicate, covered with frost and dew. The hoophouse has stayed just above freezing for a while now with this latest warm spell, and combined with the darkness of late (made deeper by the nearly constant covering of snow over the hoophouses) the soil fungi must have gotten ambitious and awakened from their winter slumber. It was a good reminder that our soils are truly alive - even in the dark days of winter! - and we should treat them with care if we want them to stay productive. Hyphae hygge, perhaps.... sorry, I couldn't resist.
So here's to longer days, and the start of a brand new year ahead. On behalf of all of us in this farming cooperative, we're wishing you and yours a 2020 filled with hygge large and small!
Yours in community,
Chris Duke
Farmer, Great Oak Farm
CSA Manager, Bayfield Foods Cooperative
