Here at my farm, even rainy days can be extremely productive.
Whenever stormy weather keeps my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew from working outside, I encourage them to use the time to take stock of our equipment, clean everything thoroughly, and organize the tools and supplies. My Equipment Barn measures approximately 40 by 120 feet, with plenty of height to house our mowers, blowers, tractors, tools, and other important machinery. Yesterday, as the weekend nor’easter brought a third consecutive day of rain, my team took the opportunity to clear the space, wash the floors and equipment, and carefully inspect each item before returning everything to its designated place. Now, everything is clean, properly stored, and ready for use.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I built this Equipment Barn soon after purchasing the farm. I wanted it to be an attractive structure in an easy-to-access location. This building is just off the carriage road next to my hay barn and vegetable greenhouse. Giant sliding barn doors are at each end.
Here is a view of the inside. To clean it thoroughly, everything is brought out, the floor is cleaned and then everything is returned to its proper place. At night, this barn accommodates all our farm vehicles. Above, the space is well lit with these big overhead lamps. I use very utilitarian lighting and fans wherever I can.
Phurba uses the power washer to clean the cement floors of any mud and other debris.
Here, Phurba uses the STIHL battery-operated blower to direct the water to the drains.
Out back, Phurba also power washes each of the mowers and makes sure each piece of equipment is in perfect working order.
Once it is cleaned, Phurba parks it back in the barn, in a designated spot, where it can easily be driven out when needed.
On one side of the Barn, we keep the entire fleet of STIHL mowers. They are all parked together, faced out, during the summer season when they are used daily.
Next, any dirty garden tools are washed.
And then hung on sturdy hooks. These hooks store our spades and shovels in all sizes for different jobs.
We keep like items together, so we know where to find them and how many we have in supply.
These are long handled cultivating forks which are bent at the end in order to turn the soil.
Any STIHL trimmers and other long handled tools are also kept in one place.
Our blowers are also made by STIHL. We’ve been using STIHL’s backpack blowers for years here at my farm. These blowers are powerful and fuel-efficient. The gasoline-powered engines provide enough rugged power to tackle heavy debris while delivering much lower emissions.
Along the wall on sturdy shelves are our Miracle-Gro fertilizers – also ready to grab when necessary.
Blowers, tillers, edgers, walk behind mowers, and generators are all parked by type and frequency of use.
Ladders of various sizes rest against one wall close to one set of large barn doors.
All the Gilmour hoses are gathered, coiled, tied, and ready for winter storage.
In another corner, we have this bank of lockers for the crew. Everyone has their own locker where they can store safety equipment, extra shoes, clothing, and other personal items.
Meanwhile, the STIHL chainsaws are all sharpened. The teeth are filed, two or three strokes per tooth. This is done for every tooth in one direction and then in the other, all the way around.
Nearby, Pasang checks the tires on this Polaris off-road vehicle. He adds air where needed.
Here is Phurba washing our trusted Hi-Lo, which is also used every day here at the farm.
He also gives our Kubota tractor a good rinse. Regularly washing tractors is essential for safety, equipment longevity, and operational efficiency.
Everything is now back in the large holding area ready to use. It is so nice to know all our equipment can fit neatly in this Equipment Barn.
Here at my farm, I work hard to keep everything clean, organized, and in excellent working condition — especially the large and essential pieces of agricultural equipment.
Earlier this month, we baled our second cut of hay for the season, producing more than 500 bales to feed my horses. Once the work is finished, it’s important to thoroughly inspect and clean all the equipment before putting it into my "trailer barn" for storage. Every year, the barn is also completely emptied and thoroughly washed. Keeping everything clean and properly maintained minimizes damage and extends the life of the structure and each piece of machinery.
Enjoy these photos.
I am very fortunate to have all the proper equipment to make nutritious and delicious hay for my horses. I try to impress upon my team how important it is to take good care of everything we have. Once the hay is cut for the season, Chhiring services and washes all the equipment.
My outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring Sherpa, overseas the hay production and the baling machinery. Here, he thoroughly power washes the hood and top of the mower-conditioner, which cuts, crimps and crushes the hay to promote faster and more even drying.
Chhiring cleans every crevice of the baler to remove any debris caught in the machine. This is also a good time for Chhiring to check any parts that may need more maintenance attention. A baler is a piece of farm machinery used to compress a cut and raked crop into compact bales that are easy to handle, transport, and store.
This is the pick up cylinder of the baler, which rolls over the cut hay and gathers it into the chamber.
Most of the equipment is pulled by our trusted Kubota tractor, one of the most important pieces of equipment here at the farm. It is used every single day of the year.
And look at the wheels – each one is five feet in diameter. Chhiring makes sure the tractor and all its tires are also well cleaned.
Chhiring cleans and checks all the lights and other safety features.
And then finally, he cleans around the mechanicals, but is careful to avoid any direct contact with bearings and seals.
Once the equipment is cleaned and adequately sun dried, it is all pulled one by one behind the tractor to the barn specifically designated for these pieces.
Meanwhile, before anything is returned inside, the entire barn is emptied, so it, too, can be well-cleaned.
The dirt floor is raked level and cleaned of any small debris.
And then using a STIHL SGA 85 Cordless Backpack Sprayer, Fernando treats the walls with a dirt and mildew remover and then rinses it off thoroughly.
Any hand tool hooks are also checked and cleaned.
And then tools are placed back in their designated places.
Fernando repaints the bird feed storage station. It’s “Bedford Gray,” of course.
Chhiring oils the hay equipment to repel water, slow oxidation, and prevent corrosion during the off season.
And then one by one, Chhiring backs in each piece.
Some pieces fold up conveniently for storage and transport purposes.
Any flat trailer pieces are put up against the wall and properly secured to save space.
This barn provides adequate air circulation and proper drainage to keep them all dry and safe from the elements.
Every piece has its designated space. Chhiring checks the equipment periodically through the year to ensure it is all safe from moisture, mold, and pests. Good, clean, well-maintained equipment of any kind is sure to last many years.
An early-season nor’easter is moving up the East Coast, bringing gusty winds and heavy rain from the Mid-Atlantic through New England.
Yesterday, my outdoor grounds crew worked tirelessly to prepare the farm for this weekend storm. They moved all my precious citrus trees indoors, stored any furniture that could potentially be blown over, secured doors and windows, and made sure all the animals were safe in their enclosures. Being well-prepared is crucial when a major storm is approaching. A few helpful precautions include having an ample supply of food and water on hand, making sure flashlights have fresh batteries, checking and replenishing the first-aid kit, and ensuring that all vehicles have plenty of fuel.
Here are some photos of the storm prep at Cantitoe Corners.
The day started with overcast skies and very little sunshine. Forecasts called for poor weather to start in the evening, but winds had already picked up by midday.
Flooding and high winds can cause damage to any property, so it’s always good, and smart, to be well-prepared for any inclement weather. Here is the path between two of my horse pastures with the great eastern white pines in the distance.
The crew began preparing early. All the cushions are removed from the poolside chaises longues and stored in my gym garage.
Chairs surrounding my long pavilion yew table are taken to my hay barn across the carriage road for storage. Decide what spaces can be used to store what items ahead of time, so there is less scrambling later.
In 2021, after a large yew tree was removed from my former East Hampton home, I decided to give the wood a second life by turning it into this large dining table for the pavilion. I designed it to be three tables connected as one.
Doing so made it easy to transport when needed. Here, Pete and Jimmy carry each table piece to its designated storage place.
I store the table in a glass room next door to my Equipment Barn. The tables are carefully placed in the room and then covered for the season.
The room can accommodate the three yew table pieces as well and the pool furniture.
Before being moved, the pool furniture head rests are tied down, so they don’t flap during transport, which could damage the wood.
And then one by one, Jimmy and Pete carry the furniture to their storage space in the glass room.
Down by my chicken coops, my citrus trees are displayed outdoors during summer. They remain in this gravel covered area until cooler weather arrives.
However, citrus trees are sensitive to frost and cold temperatures, so I asked that they be moved indoors temporarily until the storm is over. This also prevents any from falling and potentially losing fruits. Here’s Matthew moving one of my lemon trees indoors.
Here, all the citrus trees will be safe from dipping temperatures and strong winds.
Hay mangers, or hay feeders, are checked and placed in the pastures. These are designed to hold the hay so it is accessible to my horses but off the ground and protected from wet weather.
Meanwhile, back at my pool, Fernando closes and covers all the shade umbrellas so they are ready for storage.
He carries them one by one to the glass room keeping them all together, so they are easy to find and take out again next spring.
Take the time to store pieces carefully and properly to save them from damage.
Phurba helps by carting the heavy steel umbrella bases into the same area as the umbrellas.
Glass doors replace screen ones to keep heavy rain away.
The animals are all checked that they are safe in their enclosures. I think my geese are actually looking forward to the showers.
And all my horses, donkeys, and other pets are all in great care. The current nor’easter is expected to last through Sunday night and into Monday morning and finally weakening by Tuesday. I hope you are all safe where you are.
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