Another Snowy Day at the Farm
Here in the Northeast, the next few days are expected to be bitterly cold with temperatures in the 20s - quite a drop from recent days.
Earlier this week, temperatures were in the low 30s - just right for a light wintry mix and snowfall. The farm was again covered in glistening white. We always try to take snapshots whenever it snows - so many of you enjoy these photo tours throughout the seasons.
Enjoy these latest images of my farm in winter.
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- Snow began to fall around lunchtime – first a mix of sleet and snow before turning to big flakes, which are formed when temperatures in a layer of the atmosphere are just above freezing, causing the flakes to partially melt and stick together. On this day, temperatures hovered around 32 to 34 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a view of my old corn crib and the path, lined with linden trees, between two of my paddocks.
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- Perched high in a tree not far from my Winter House was this Coopers hawk, Accipiter cooperii. These raptors like small birds and often keep watch near bird feeders. Coopers hawks can be found year round in southern New York and in northern New York during the breeding season.
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- Here, one can see the snow falling across the paddock and over my stable and carriage house. The skies were very gray, and the forecast called for a light snow through the rest of the afternoon and into the night.
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- Here’s a photo of two stands of Eastern white pines. These trees stand so tall and majestic in the fields.
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- The giant bird bath behind my donkey paddock is frozen with a layer of white snow on top.
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- In front of my Winter House, the boxwood is safe under cover. Small holes purposely made allow birds to take shelter from the cold and wind. It’s a “Good Thing” I developed to help our avian friends during winter. See more of my “Good Things” on our new Instagram page @MarthaStewartGoodThings.
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- By the next morning, the snow had already begun to stick. One can see the snow clinging to the branches of these great pin oaks not far from the entrance to my farm. Quercus palustris – tall, handsome trees that look beautiful in every season.
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- During winter, my outdoor grounds crew spends a lot of time “cleaning the woods” – removing fallen branches and other debris. Everything is placed neatly at the side of the carriage road, so it can be accessed easily when it is time to chip.
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- We planted the small spruce seedlings a little over a year ago – two rows of young spruce trees in front of some already mature spruce specimens we planted several years back.
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- Here is one of the old stone walls at the farm. New England is filled with stone walls – thigh-high stones stacked together in various shapes and sizes. Many old stone walls are left from colonial settlers building their farmlands.
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- I am so proud of all the trees I have planted around my farm – thousands and thousands. It’s one way I can give back to the Earth and help to create a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet for my grandchildren, and for everyone. These evergreens have grown so fast, especially in the last few years. I call this area my Christmas tree field.
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- And here is the old sycamore. The mighty sycamore is the symbol of Cantitoe Corners. A small bird house is located just below the branches – I wonder if any screech owls have taken residence inside.
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- Thankfully, the wind was not strong, so none of the trees suffered any damage. These trees stand tall in the woodland. And, do you know why I like to “clean the woods?”… so I can see the beautiful landscape and the great hayfields beyond. “Cleaning the woods” also allows us to reuse and repurpose a lot of natural materials which are chipped and used as ground dressing.
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- Here’s a stand of dawn redwoods, Metasequoia, with their straight and interesting trunks – impressive trees by any standard, and beautiful all year long.
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- This is the citrus greenhouse. With frigid cold temperatures on the way, I am glad all my precious dwarf citrus trees are safe and warm indoors.
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- Tucked away between the Equipment Barn and a grove of weeping willows is my pinetum. It includes pines, spruces, and firs, as well as other evergreens.
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- On the left – European beech trees, Fagus sylvatica, or the common beech – a tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae and native to the woodlands of central and southern Europe. These were planted on both sides of this paddock a couple years ago.
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- This photo was taken on the path under my pergola. The black granite bricks were placed here last spring by my outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring. He put down each brick one-by-one in what is called a sawtooth pattern – hard to see even with the light snow cover.
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- Here is one of my weeping copper beech trees – so pretty, even in winter when its complex branching structure is most visible surrounded by snow.
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- Nearby, here are the branches of the weeping hornbeams. We prune these regularly to keep their beautiful shapes. These edge one side of the 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.
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- The snow has now covered the roof of the old corn crib.
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- And here is my little Basket House. The big trees surrounding it are bald cypress, Taxodium distichum. These are fast growing North American natives. Much of the snow melted during the afternoon and evening, but any leftover shall certainly turn to ice as the days progress.
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