Mid-September Around the Farm
Autumn is certainly creeping up on us even though it doesn’t officially begin until September 23rd. None-the-less, there are many telltale indicators all around the farm, and I thought it would be fun to show you some of them. I still can’t get over just how many apples there are on my trees this year. I’ve been sharing them with many people and all of the donkeys, horses, chickens, and turkeys are happy to be munching away. We are also looking into acquiring an apple press so that we can make our very own cider. We would like to turn this into a TV segment, so stay tuned. By the way, today’s photos were taken with a Canon 5D and the macro shots were done with a Canon G9.
1 The apples are so abundant this year - we took two bushel baskets into the TV studio to use on set.
2 Juicy, sweet, delicious, and great for baking!
3 What do I spy up in that tree?
4 The maple leaves are beginning to turn their brilliant autumn colors.
5 My arborists, SavATree, http://www.savatree.com/ are busy at the property still pruning and cleaning up from all the storm damage that occured over the summer.
6 It's amazing how much pruning needs to be done.
7 Leo wears a 'fierce' protective helmet.
8 This team is pruning a tall maple tree.
9 This job requires great skill and plenty of nerve.
10 Feeding the chipper
11 Can you guess what these are?
12 They are Colchicum autumnale, commonly called 'autumn crocus' or 'naked ladies.'
13 These are lovely blooms.
14 They are unexpected at this time of year.
15 A double variety
16 These little ants love the nectar.
17 Outside the greenhouse is the shade pergola and my citrus plants.
18 Citrofortunella Microcarpa is a cross between a sour Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and a kumquat (Fortunella marginata).
19 Citrus Ponderosa lemon still green
20 My Christmas tree field is growing, but slowly.
21 Old-fashioned apple trees - We're looking into pressing them for cider.
22 We have more than enough!
23 The wetlands are filled with interesting flora and fauna.
24 If you find cattails growing, it is a sure sign of the presence of water.
25 Goldenrod is easily recognized by its golden inflorescence and hundreds of small capitula, or dense clusters of flowers.
26 This monarch butterfly is enjoying the nectar of a clover blossom before migrating to warmer climates.
27 Many insects feed on clover blossoms.
28 Including my honeybees!
29 Next to the donkey paddock is my grove of horse chestnuts.
30 The fruit of the horse chestnut is a green, spiky capsule containing one (rarely two or three) shiny brown nut-like seeds, referred to as conkers.
31 This macro shows just how spiky the exterior is.
32 A view of the donkey paddock from my terrace
33 These lovely succulents are blooming nicely and look great perched on the wall.
34 A view of the white garden outside my back door
35 The white anemone flowers are blooming beautifully.
36 A better look at this pure white-petaled flower
37 The white phlox are beginning to wane.
38 An antique urn filled with tiny succulents sits upon the wall surrounding the white garden.
39 Remember last week when I showed you these giant puffballs?
40 Well, this is what they look like now - they are decaying and getting ready to 'puff' with trillions of spores.
41 A closeup of the rotting skin
42 The underside of a fern frond rich with spores.
43 These are actually sporangia, which contain spores. When mature the sporangia will burst and release their spores into the wind.
44 Blooming in September into October is tricyrtis, commonly called 'toad lily,' supposedly because many varieties have purple spotted flowers.
45 Shaun is clipping away shaping the boxwood.
46 He's working down one side of the boxwood allee and up the other.
47 A spider made an intricate sheet web in the boxwood.
48 Look how finely woven the web is!
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Martha, do you have little rotted limbs to fall onto your grounds, or does the pruning keep them all healthy? I have hundreds to fall almost weekly.
I've said this before, but...my son that died 4 years ago next month, wanted an all white garden, and if God lets me live long enough, I plan to plant one for him. Do you have any suggestions for plants that will live in the South?
As usual, everthing is beautiful on your farm. And, the apples look dilicious!!
Thanks for sharing, Gloria!!
Posted by: Gloria | September 15th, 2010 at 12:21 am
I always love the pictures of your farm.
Posted by: Gin | September 15th, 2010 at 12:47 am
Gorgeous photos of your farm, the apples the trees and the plants everything looks wonderful. I can't wait for the TV segment!
I would love to share with you some photos from our summer home and some flowers from the garden.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rowaidafl/sets/72157624854962294/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rowaidafl/sets/72157624817034156/
It will be an honor if you visit us.
Regards,
Rowaida Flayhan
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | September 15th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Hi Martha
The farm must be beautiful this time of year with the trees starting to turn and the apple trees just bursting with fruit.
I love the new show and congrat's on your move to the Hallmark Channel. It's great we can get so many good programs and I have my DVR recording all day. I'll enjoy them all after baseball season and there is nothing to watch at night.
Posted by: ann | September 15th, 2010 at 6:57 am
My cousin, in Wisconsin, found an antique apple press many years ago in an auction and purchased it. Every year, she brings it out and the family go into the woods on their farm to pick the wild apples. Then, the apples are pressed and my cousin cans all the juice for cider for the winter. She must get 20-30 gallons of the stuff. It's great.
Posted by: Gretchen | September 15th, 2010 at 7:34 am
Martha,
My boyfriend and I enjoy life on Smith Lake. Although, he has decided that life on a farm would be even more enjoyable. He is building a house on some property in Mississippi and plans to raise free-range chickens, grain-fed pigs along with 2 horses and a long horn steer. He envisions us growing our own crops, herb garden and composting. There are pecan and walnut trees as well as fruit trees on the property. Since he's building the house on his own, with some contracted friends, it will be a while before we will be able to move in. While he is undertaking the massive house building project, I want to learn all I can about homesteading. And I want to learn from the best...YOU. Upon looking over your website, I am overwhelmed with all your projects and ventures. HOW ON EARTH DO YOU DO IT ALL???? Where do you suggest I begin with my homesteading 101 adventure? What's most important? Where can I shop for stuff? What should I learn? I know you're super busy, so any links you can provide would be great help. I'm excited to spend fall on my own farm.
Posted by: Janet Kent | September 15th, 2010 at 7:58 am
Lovely photos of the farm. These are my favorite blog entries. The spider web is awesome. I make a great apple pie recipe passed down from my grandmother. I would love to bake it for you Martha.
Posted by: Teresa Touey | September 15th, 2010 at 8:33 am
Must admit, my apple trees were removed after family moved away and was difficult to keep on using fruit. Knew little of your daughter's
show but love Hallmark's new line up this fall.
I think you made a great move going to cable.
NBC TODAY show needs you.
Posted by: ann | September 15th, 2010 at 8:49 am
Hi Martha,
First off, that was a really quick segment on the Today Show this morning but no complaints about the content. The muffin tin pizza from Everyday Food looked great and I think I will try the toasted bread with bacon and egg also in a muffin tin. Years ago we would use bread to make pizza with tomato sauce, cheese and pepperoni and put it under the broiler. My son liked it that way.
~
Every time I see your garden I can’t help but wonder how many different species of plants you might have. It seems you are always showing us something new including a different kind of citrus tree. I really like your autumn crocus and I don’t remember seeing the vines growing up the trees in picture #12. That’s a pretty view in the shade to the entrance gate.
~
I won’t be making an apple pie today although your apples have enticed me but Costco is close and they have cider too! Great line-up of shows on Hallmark Martha, and in particular I really like that we can watch you twice in one day and at 4 p.m. the next day plus online. This is so much better than broadcast TV with all their interruptions! Trish
Posted by: Trish | September 15th, 2010 at 9:48 am
Martha,
I would say you would need a milk house, a honey house and a cider house. Those would be wonderful buildings to work in and/or visit. The atmospheres would be so calming until a cat got in a milk bucket, or bees in the cider.
We too are seeing great activity from the spiders.
Posted by: Margie | September 15th, 2010 at 10:43 am
I am so sad. We live on a farm in Central Canada and I enjoyed your hints on farming stuff. You introduced me to the beautiful Fresian horse. I have a team of Percheron and one day I hope to add one of your beautiful horse breeds. I even have americana chickens and enjoy telling people how I seen their price on your show. We have chickens, laying and cornish and banty, pigs, turkeys, ducks, geese, cows--even a holstein. We enjoy eating all our own meat, eggs, butter, milk, cream, ice cream, yougurt. We have 3 special needs daughters who have suffered greatly in thier little life before they became foster girls. They are 12, 5 and 6 and do so well. Farming teaches such great values. My kids actually would prefer to play outside than to watch tv. I'm really really going to miss your show. In Manitoba the only tv service we can get rurally is satelite and unfortunatly no channel is carrying your show. We only have satellite internet as well and the speed doesn't let me download any videos. Maybe you could send me a copy of your new season? I'll keep coming to your website....better to look at that than to go completly without you Martha Stewart.
Hugs
Colleen Luce
Posted by: Colleen Luce | September 15th, 2010 at 11:49 am
I really love your farm Martha...it's an inspiration to me. So beautiful..thank you for always sharing!
Katty ( Osaka, Jpn)
Posted by: Katty | September 15th, 2010 at 11:56 am
Hi Martha, This is one of the most awesome blogs about your spectcular farm so far! Your photos are absolutely stunning and I love viewing everyone of them again and again! Is it just the great weather this year or is it Shaun and his crew who have made everything grow so very well?! Your close-up shots of the monarch butterfly and your beautiful honeybee are spectacular!! Our area is starting to show signs of fall, also and doesn't it get beautiful?! I have never seen a spiderweb of that size! What kind of spider made that fascinating web?! Can't get enough of your delightful, positive blogs! Thank you so much! Jan PS Loved your show on Hallmark Channel again yesterday and waiting for today's!!! J.
Posted by: Jan Erickson | September 15th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Martha, thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | September 15th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Hello Martha, Did you know that you can eat the puff balls. When they are fresh and new and all white they can be picked and cut up and fried like morel mushrooms. They are really good. Thanks Cassie
Posted by: Cassie Schmidt | September 15th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Hi Martha, I love watching your shows that involve all your delicious recipes. However... both my husband and I are cardiac patients and can't eat all the butter and heavy creams that so many of your recipes call for. We also no longer eat red meat - just chicken, turkey and fish. I've found many wonderful recipes on the Internet, but while you're showing us how to make all those wonderful foods on your shows, would it be possible to tell those of us, who can't cook with a lot of saturated fats and cholesterol, how to substitute to make the food acceptable to our diets? I think you'd have a whole new audience watching you! Many thanks for listening... J.
Posted by: Joyce Strickland | September 15th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Well Martha, I cannot get your show anymore - but your not getting rid of me that easy.
.
.
September Rounds
.
Espaliers outstretched arms give thanks with loads of fruit.
Not knowing that some apples are destined for a TV shoot.
But wait, the tousled leaves are showing signs of fall,
As maples begin their journey that nothing can stall.
Healthy trees produce growth and need to get a pruning.
Ever reaching for the sky, it takes care to give a grooming.
Abundant autumn crocus adds charm and color to the scene.
Those 'naked ladies'fit perfectly in the patch of green.
The flowers are exquisite, if you think your seeing double,
Just turn the page and smile, nothing will burst your bubble.
Inside some blossoms,enjoying nectar a micro army of ants;
The shade pergola surrounded by many potted plants,
Like an Asian wedding of Mandarin and kumquat citrus,
Green lemons and limes rendering us all quite minimus;
Old fashioned apple trees not too shy to show their seeds,
Wouldn't Johnny have a hay day with so many breeds?
For the perfect balance in Nature, the wetlands take the prize,
The hub of life a secret breath but in the cattails,no baby cries.
With goldenrod and clover to which the wildlife clings,
Long journey, short trips of so many wondrous things.
With humility I stand in awe and soak in the atmosphere,
Next to the donkeys and spiked chestnuts that add cheer:
Succulents perched on a wall,some more of Natures wonder.
The white garden's smiling anemones after storms of thunder.
On a wall surrounding the white garden,a timeless antique urn,
Sporangia almost ready to unleash its treasure from the fern;
A web of finely woven sheet silk from a spider called Funnel,
Begging others to step into my parlor and head down the tunnel!
Tricyrtis aka 'toad lily' in full splendor, in September blooming,
A good memory to cherish as the cold winds are looming.
.
.
Sayonara - and good health, as always.
.
Posted by: celia stock | September 15th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Hi Martha,
You should visit Michigan when we have our Fruit and Vegetable Expo in Dec.,that's when we "crown" the best Michigan Apple Cider. I have been a judge of this contest for the last 9yrs. it's alot of fun trying all the different ciders from around the state. There can be up to 30 different enteries. We would love to have you!
Posted by: Kim Kropf | September 15th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Another PS
Martha, you said you'd be looking for an apple press and I was reading the local Flea Market on the radio web site and found this listing.
(Antique cidar press - $75.00 972-7117)
This would be in my local area of SC and as there are lots of apple orchards, there may be a lot of apple presses.
On re-reading, you didn't say you were looking for an apple press, just looking into pressing them.
Gloria!!
Posted by: Gloria | September 15th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Speaking of your farm, Martha, I wanted to thank you again for the plant donations from your gardens in Bedford to my nonprofit TheGivingGardens.org for our celebrity plant auction this spring. I was overwhelmed by your generosity!!! I think it's important for your readers to know that even though you have so much you are incredibly philanthropic and are willing to share your bounty. Some of your donations were auctioned (so the Giving Gardens can grow) and some were installed at two Habitat homes in Detroit. Governor Granholm, First Gentleman Dan Mulhern, many volunteers and I worked together to Plant-it-Forward for you that day:)
See: heavenonearthhome.blogspot.com for photos of your generous donations to The Giving Gardens.
Also, Your kindness made our First Gentleman's blog: http://www.danmulhern.com/2010/09/3082/
Did you like the vegan/raw truffles I left as a thank you? Thanks a million!!!
Plant-it-Forward!--Margaux
Posted by: Margaux Drake | September 15th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
Martha~
I love when you invite us through your blog to visit the farm. So beautiful! Looking forward to seeing you next week for the "Teacher Show."
Posted by: Robyn | September 15th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
I am so happy I found your post. I have admired you on everything you have done.
Just bought a bag of McIntosh Maine apples today to make an apple torte.
thank you
yvonne
Posted by: yvonne | September 15th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Martha,
Thank you so much for posting your shows on your website. Due to AT&T taking off the Hallmark channel I am unable to watch. Looks like I will be shopping for a new cable provider!
Posted by: Laura | September 15th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
I LOVE that you have a Christmas tree field! It is a dream of mine and made me feel very happy seeing it
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Wendy Irene | September 16th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
I absolutely loved the episode with Justin Long. You played off each other so well. And I love you and Sophie together. She lights up the room every time she's on.
Posted by: Debra | September 16th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
I'm very sad...my favorite program no longer available to me! I live in Southern California and we have Dish Network. They have the Hallmark channel, but it is an upgrade. I will still check out the website every opportunity I get. I hope the show is a huge success on the new channel.
Posted by: Chris | September 17th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Last week i wondered why you weren't eating the puff ball. Why didn't you? And I'm so pleased you are going to do a cider segment. You do leave the spiders alone don't you? Spiders keep the bad bugs down. You should have a contest for someone to spend a day with Martha down on the farm. I know I've mentioned this a couple of times over the last year but have never seen you respond to this idea. But of course you get many fabulous ideas from your fans and you certainly do not lack for inventive and unique ideas. Thanks Martha
Posted by: http://twitter.com/Geotravel | September 17th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
Martha:
It's a darn shame that I will no longer enjoy your show, now that you've moved to the Hallmark Channel. You see, I can't afford to subscribe to the Hallmark Channel in the Phoenix, AZ area. I did enjoy your show so much for all these years. What a shame!
Posted by: Socorro Slater | September 21st, 2010 at 1:39 am
What are the varities of apples seen growing on your farm?
Looking at your photos I can tell Martha has a great love for her land and all that grows on it. I would never want to leave. I wonder with her busy schedule if she still gets a chance to dig in the dirt and pick a bushel of apples. Perhaps this is just my favourite part of gardening and not her motivator.
Posted by: Lauren | September 21st, 2010 at 8:48 pm
How do you keep anemones from falling over. Mine don't stand up at all?
Posted by: Lisette Mast | September 24th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
Hi Martha. I just saw the beautiful pictures of your farm. I'm an admirer from South Africa and we havent been able to see any of your shows for a while, I sure miss it. Wake up South Africa and bring back Martha Stewart!!!!
Regards
Adele Hodges
Posted by: Adele Hodges | September 25th, 2010 at 5:53 am
Martha,
I have been a fan of yours for a very long time and wish to congradulate you on your recent merger with Hallmark. And, may I say, with all sincerity, that you are amazing. Your are indeed a survivor, one of the most intelligent individuals on the planet. You are the measure of a woman. I will continue to be a loyal fan and perhaps get the chance to see you in person one day.
Candace
Posted by: Candace Shoemaker | September 26th, 2010 at 8:33 am
Love reading your blog! Your life and home are lovely!
~jamilyn
Posted by: Jamilyn | September 27th, 2010 at 8:48 am