An Early Spring Tour Of The Farm
Sometimes it's hard to believe, with all of this crazy weather we've been having, but spring is really on its way. I thought I'd give you an early spring tour of the farm to show you just a little of what's been going on. There are many exciting projects taking place and many more blogs to follow.
- Meanwhile, Wilmer has been busy marking out the vegetable garden.
- Wilmer also put a layer of compost on the garlic bed.
- The garlic was planted last autumn and is sprouting very nicely.
- The tropical greenhouse is vented during the day because it gets quite hot inside.
- The tips of the linden tree branches turn a reddish color as they are about to bud.
- Wilmer has been measuring and marking the beds and top-dressing them with rich compost.
- Chhiring and Phurba had the muscle job of moving the large cast iron fire pot. I keep it near my house during the winter for bonfires.
- During warm weather, it’s moved onto the great lawn.
- They lifted it up and onto its stone base.
- We build a fire in the pit to roast marshmallows during summer parties.
- This is the entrance to my kitchen.
- During a recent warm spell, I had the storm door glass removed.
- And replaced with the screen
- These door panels are held in place with screw locks.
- My Chow Chow, GK, loves the cool breeze.
- The same thing was done with the porch door.
- The glass panels were carried away.
- When not in use, the screens and glass panels are stored in the basement.
- There is much spring growth in the shade garden near the Tenant House.
- The daffodils planted two years ago are beginning to bloom.
- These are muscari plants, which will send up deep purple flowers.
- This long bed of bright blue scilla is a welcome sight.
- Even the honey bees think so.
- The vegetable garden is next to the chicken yard.
- Wilmer does a very nice job creating these beds.
- Bruce Corbett, who built the carriage roads at my farm, has been doing spring maintenance on all of the roadways. Here he is dumping a load of gravel.
- A sub-surface layer of bedding material is spread on the roads.
- The weeping willows are fast-growers and needed a pruning to clear passing vehicles.
- Chhiring and Phurba trimmed as much as possible from the ground.
- A fruit-picking ladder was used to reach the higher branches.
- A vibratory roller is driven over all of the surfaces to hard-pack them before the top layer of gravel is spread over.
- This machine attachment is a type of surface planer, which smooths the surface and takes out any ruts.
- The grass is turning green and the budding weeping willows are bright chartreuse.
- This is the long daffodil border.
- Some early bloomers
- Another section of the border
- Recently, Ryan and Wilmer transplanted all of the herbs into larger containers.
- During the winter, Ryan grew many plants from seed, like this flat of tarragon, an aromatic herb.
- The herbs were gently removed from the growing flats, keeping as much of the root in tact as possible.
- Each plant was placed in its own larger pot.
- There are even thickets of daffodils blooming in the woodlands. These were planted about six years ago.
- All of the transplanted herb plants were moved to the vegetable greenhouse where they will continue to grow before being hardened off for planting outdoors.
- Lavender plants
- Marjoram
- Lemon balm and catnip
- Oregano
- Mint
- I had special boxes made for the panels. There is a box for each building and each panel slides into its own numbered slot.