Our first official snowfall where I live can happen anytime from late September through October. It may not be much, but there will be more.
Like most serious cold climate gardeners I start my garden plants indoors to get a jump on the growing season. I have a shelf system with grow lights that will hold several seed starting flats equipped with a timer switch to regulate the daily lighting cycle. There is no reason that this grow rack could not be used during our winters in Alaska to grow salad greens and herbs along with some small vegetables such as scallions, and maybe even super-dwarf tomatoes. So last week I planted a flat with a variety of lettuce, kale, and Swiss chard. The seedlings have since sprouted and it is time to thin them out today.
I plan to transplant my seedling into a bottom watering system based on my Alaska Grow Buckets using fabric shopping bags. I will be experimenting with some different designs to see what works best and is simple and inexpensive to make.
I anticipate the luxury of making a fresh salad in the middle of our long winter. The added benefit of some green plants adding a splash of color just may help offset some of my winter cabin-fever. Many people do try to fill their indoor space with ornamental house plants for this very reason and leafy green vegetables could serve the same purpose with the added benefit of being edible too.