Preparing for Spring Entertaining at My Farm
I always enjoy hosting outdoor gatherings at my Bedford, New York farm, but it's a lot of work to get everything ready!
Preparing for any special affair takes a lot of effort, a lot of time, and a lot of advanced planning. With so much to do all hands are on deck. Among the many spring cleaning tasks on our list - edge the carriage roads, weed the garden beds, clean the windows, polish the silver, power wash the stable floors and shine up the stalls. Fortunately, Mother Nature cooperated these last couple of weeks and the farm looks gorgeous.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Every year around this time, I often host at least one large party here at the farm. One of my favorite areas to entertain is down by my stable and Carriage House where there is lots of room for guests. But before any gathering, my team and I spend many days preparing so everything is perfect.
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- I have four miles of gravel-covered carriage road at my farm. Gravel roads are attractive, easy to maintain, and accumulate less pollutants over time. It’s important to edge and shape the roads regularly, so they drain properly and look tidy. Here, Fernando uses a hoe to remove weeds and overgrown grass from the edge.
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- Here’s a closer look – the edge of this section of carriage road is straight and clean.
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- Here is the section all done. Spring chores can be tedious, but they are all worth the effort.
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- Around the stable, Pete uses a long landscape rake to push gravel that has washed to the sides back where it belongs. Over time, rain and traffic cause the gravel to shift or run-off a specific area.
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- He does this all around the stable, Carriage House and office building. This razor-back aluminum landscape rake has a wide head and teeth to level gravel quickly and smoothly.
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- Afterward, Fernando spreads a new layer of gravel around the stable, leveling the road and filling in any bare spots. I like to use native washed stone in a blend of gray tones.
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- Nearby, Carlos cleans the window panes of my giant stable barn doors.
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- My handsome Friesian Hylke watches all the activity from his stall – he is very curious.
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- Inside the stable, Cesar carefully power washes the floors. I like to keep the stable as clean as possible.
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- The stalls are also cleaned so they look their best. The walls of each stall are wiped down with a furniture restoring tonic.
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- Christophe Pourny is my favorite go-to source for furniture care. His line of specialty tonics, serums, and soaps make it possible to polish, clean, restore, and shine nearly every surface and piece of furniture in the home – and my stable. I’ve known Christophe for years and have used all his products.
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- Here is Juan cleaning another area of the stall – one can see how different it looks after it is treated with Furniture Tonic. It restores the luster of the wood. And, the tonic is made from natural, non-toxic ingredients that are friendly to the environment.
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- Carlos is now cleaning the lower windows of my Carriage House – each pane wiped down until it is free of dirt, dust, or any streaks.
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- Moises is tending the garden beds beneath my linden trees – weeding and edging.
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- The tree pits are also given a fresh layer of mulch made right here at the farm – look how dark and rich it is. This mulch is also combined with tree mold and manure.
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- And here’s Brian grooming my Fernspray Hinoki cypress bushes. We planted a group of these conifers last autumn along the carriage road just past my allée of lindens near the entrance to my Japanese Maple Woodland. Everyone loves them here, and they’re doing so nicely.
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- Phurba is weed whacking under the Asian pear espalier – cutting those pesky tall grasses that cannot be reached with the lawn mower. Details are so important when preparing for any party.
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- When it starts to get warm, I bring out the potted plants and display them around the farm. Brian and Ryan are carrying one of two giant pots I borrowed for my party – and hopefully a little longer.
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- And here’s Enma carrying just one of the many bins of supplies and items needed for this first big spring gathering.
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- Ahead of any entertaining event, big or small, try to get polishing done early – select the pieces needed and polish them days in advance. It will surely save time and worry on the day of.
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- Spring is such a wonderful time to entertain – the weather is comfortable and all the gardens are coming alive. I hope you enjoy all your spring season gatherings with those near and dear.
Martha Pins
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