The Season's First Snowstorm 2020
Even if you’re not a big fan of cold weather, it's hard not to love a gorgeous snow-covered landscape.
Here at my Bedford, New York farm yesterday, we got about a foot of snow with wind drifts topping two-feet in some areas. Thankfully we were well-prepared. All the tropical plants are tucked away in temperature-controlled greenhouses, and most of my precious boxwood shrubs and hedges are draped in burlap. I ventured out to plow some of the four-miles of carriage road from 7am to 9am and used my trusted Polaris XP 1000 fitted with a snow plow - it worked wonders in the deep snow.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- There is always a bit of excitement with the first snow of the season. It’s always nice to tour the farm while the snow is still coming down. This is the little basket house nestled in the grove of bald cypress, Taxodium distichum. The snow dropped about 10 inches overnight, with still more falling in the morning.
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- Nearby is my expansive soccer field or “party lawn”, where I love to set-up games for guests during summer parties and where my grandson, Truman, loves to play soccer with friends. On the left is my long pergola.
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- Here are the mighty pin oaks, Quercus palustris, that grow alongside my large Equipment Barn.
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- And tucked away between the Equipment Barn and a grove of weeping willows is my pinetum – a wonderful collection of evergreens I started planting about 12 years ago. This area includes pines, spruces, firs, and others.
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- Thankfully, there was no wind damage here at the farm – all our trees remained intact. This carriage road into the woodland looks so beautiful with its naked tree branches overhead.
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- Here is my stand of American beech trees. They are slow to grow, but can live up to 300-years. It’s interesting how some drop all their leaves, while others hold onto them as long as possible.
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- Even with the falling snow, it is hard to miss this stand of eastern white pines, Pinus strobus. White pines are the tallest trees in eastern North America.
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- The Boxwood Allee looks so different in winter. I am so glad the boxwood is covered under burlap shrouds to keep everything protected from the snow.
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- At one end of the Boxwood Allee is this gated entrance to one of my horse paddocks. From this vantage point, once can see my long carport and my Winter House in the distance.
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- Down by the stable is this office building, where my business manager, property director and executive personal assistant work. The snow has covered nearly every surface – luckily it is a light, fluffy snow. This light snow forms when all layers of the atmosphere are below freezing. Because the air is cold, all the way down to the surface, snowflakes don’t melt. It was about 30-degrees Fahrenheit all day.
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- Here is the side view of my stable with the stable office ahead. My dear Rinze sticks his head out to watch the falling snow.
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- And to watch me as I plow the carriage roads surrounding the stable. Every time it snows, I love getting out my Polaris ATV to plow the carriage roads. It took me more than two hours to plow just one mile of the four that meander through the farm – it was cold, but very fun.
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- This is the peafowl palais with its snow covered roof. The peacocks and peahens are able to come out, but it seems they all wanted to remain warm and cozy indoors during the storm.
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- This is a view into the vegetable garden – completely covered in inches of untouched snow.
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- Not far is this stand of dawn redwoods, Metasequoia, with their straight trunks. They are impressive trees by any standard, and beautiful in any season.
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- This photo was taken from the back steps of my Summer House. The giant tree at the rear is the old ginkgo – original to the farm. Not long ago, this area was covered in golden-yellow colored leaves from the ginkgo trees – what a difference the snow makes. And on the sides, are my boxwood shrubs covered under protective burlap.
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- The tall American boxwood that surrounds my Summer House garden is netted instead and wrapped tightly together. Heavy snow could damage the shrubs and splay their branches.
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- Phurba shovels behind my Winter House – the snowfall kept everyone busy.
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- This is the front of my Winter House. The terrace parterre boxwood shrubs and hedges are also well-covered. Notice the holes in the burlap. I always make holes to ensure the wild birds have a place to go in bad weather. It is important to provide them shelter.
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- I love how snow collects on this 100-year old white spruce fencing I purchased in Canada. This fencing is what surrounds all my paddocks at the farm.
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- And here is a view between two of my horse paddocks. The old corn crib is hidden on the right.
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- And here I am back on the carriage road leading to my home. I hope you saw the video on my Instagram page @marthastewart48 plowing the snow down the Boxwood Allee. How much snow did you get with this storm? Share your comments below.
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