Getting Jobs Done Around the Farm

May 1, 2026

We’ve been pretty lucky here at the farm - we've had some rain, but for the most part the weather has been mild enough to continue our long list of outdoor chores.

And there's a lot to do. My outdoor grounds crew is busy with many projects including mulching all the garden beds, planting the vegetable crops, edging the carriage roads, reseeding, and mowing the lawns.

Here's a glimpse of some of the many jobs getting done. Enjoy these photos.

: On this day, the skies cleared up just enough so my outdoor grounds crew and gardening team could continue some much needed jobs around the farm. The gardens are growing so nicely and so fast – my pergola beds will be full of gorgeous color in just a few weeks.

: This time of year, my outdoor grounds crew is very busy mulching and composting the garden beds. Here, Pasang is filling the wheelbarrow with mulch for my pinetum.

: It looks so wonderful with a new layer of mulch. Mulching the garden is one of the easiest ways to improve a garden’s health, retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and enhance plant growth.

: Along the carriage road near my Winter House, Fernando edges the roads – a task we do once a year. Rotary edgers, powered by gasoline, electricity, or portable battery reduce the time it takes to complete this job. These machines feature a spinning blade that cuts through the turf as the edger is pushed along the road where it meets the grass border.

: After the edge is cut, Fernando uses a hoe to scrape the unwanted grass, leaving a nice straight edge.

: Outside my main greenhouse, Matthew puts down weed cloth in between the rows of peonies.

: The same is done in between my rows of raspberries.

: Chhiring then covers the weed cloth with a two to three inch layer of mulch.

: Here’s is what it looks like after mulching. These areas should be much easier to maintain this year.

: In the vegetable garden, Ryan is filling all the beds with wonderful crops started from seed in my greenhouse. This is the artichoke bed. Ryan places the potted plants where they should be planted based on specific spacing needs.

: These plants are so healthy – we should have some harvestable artichokes in about 80 to 100 days.

: Matthew also plants some of the cabbages in the garden. I always grow red cabbage, green cabbage, and Savoy cabbage in my garden.

: Here, Pasang is working in the hosta garden down near my chicken coops. I am so proud of all the mulch and compost I make here at the farm. There is always more than enough to use in the garden beds.

: When mulching, manageable piles are dropped in the bed first.

: And then each one is carefully spread out and raked around the various plants and trees.

: Matthew moves on to the roses – a personal favorite for him. Here he is grooming the bushes in my formal rose garden and trimming out all the dead wood.

: Cesar takes care of all my birds. It’s a big job, but he loves the peafowl, pheasants, geese, chickens and turkeys. This day is cleaning day for all the coops.