Fall Chores at My Farm
What chores are you doing this weekend? Now that the days are getting colder and all the trees are dropping their leaves, my outdoor grounds crew is busy with fall cleanup.
To stay organized during seasonal transitions, I create very detailed lists of all that needs to be done around my farm. My team has been working hard blowing leaves, covering air-conditioner pits, bleeding and storing hoses, moving cold sensitive plants indoors, and emptying raised garden beds. Autumn specific tasks take weeks to complete, but so far, the weather has cooperated and allowed us lots of time to ready the property for the cold season ahead.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- It is so beautiful this time of year when all the deciduous trees show their stunning autumn colors before dropping their leaves. Here at my farm, it is also weeks of hard work to clean up all the fallen leaves. This is the carriage road outside my home – freshly blown.
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- This is an allée of lindens. As the weather grows colder and sunlight decreases, the trees seal the spots where the leaves are attached – this process is what causes them to change color and fall to the ground. Rather than expend energy to protect these fragile organs, trees shed leaves to conserve resources for the next year.
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- Adan, who takes excellent care of my lawns has now split his time between mowing grass and blowing leaves.
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- Alex uses a soft rake to gather any debris from the carriage road. After the season, it is also a good idea to clean any well-used summer tools before storing.
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- It takes a lot of time to cut down and remove all the old, dead plants, and root systems. When cutting back perennials this time of year, they should be trimmed to a height of one to two inches above the ground, close to the base of the plant. These deciduous ferns are being cut down to the crown.
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- Alex is nearby cutting back the dead, brown or yellow foliage from the hosta plants.
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- Removing these yellow leaves prevents disease and maintains a tidy and clean appearance. Cutting them back also signals the plant to focus energy for the dormant period.
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- Adan blows the leaves to one area, so he can mow the grass in front my studio. Here he is using a battery powered handheld blower from STIHL – powerful, but much quieter than other blowers.
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- Fernando, who has worked with me for more than 30 years is bleeding and coiling up the hoses in preparation for storage. Proper maintenance and storage will prevent the hoses from cracking and extend the life of the hoses.
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- The small pergola outside my main greenhouse is being restored. The old wooden beams and rafter tails are removed and replaced. Luckily, a lot of the wood is still usable. Once complete, the entire pergola will get a fresh coat of paint – Bedford Gray, of course.
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- Here’s my property manager, Doug, securing a beam and checking all the cross pieces being used. He is also an excellent carpenter and will cut any new rafter tails needed for the project.
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- A new path to my pond is groomed and topped with a layer of wood chips made right here from down trees. Wood chips look neat and tidy, but they also prevent any soil erosion from runoff and enrich the soil as they decompose.
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- I keep all my air conditioners in large pits, where they are well hidden behind each house. These air conditioner pits are covered with industrial strength plastic, plywood, and then burlap to protect them from the winter elements. Covering these pits also makes them easier to maintain. Any snow or debris that falls can be brushed to the side before accessing the units below.
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- My long and winding pergola garden beds are all weeded and cleared of old plant material. Soon, they will be planted with spring-blooming bulbs.
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- Here’s Phurba picking up some of the fallen feathery brown foliage from the bald cypress trees. Oftentimes, I also like to bag the foliage and use it as mulch – I always try to reuse and repurpose whenever possible.
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- My dependable Kubota tractors are always at work. Here’s another load ready to be taken to the compost pile.
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- Pasang is using one of my trusted STIHL backpack blowers down by my production studio house. I’ve been using STIHL’s blowers for years here at my farm. These blowers are powerful and fuel-efficient. The gasoline-powered engines provide enough rugged power to tackle heavy debris while delivering much lower emissions.
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- Once the leaves are blown into a manageable pile, they are directed to the opening of a vacuum tube connected to a dump truck. The leaves are then taken to the compost area, where they will decompose and get used again as mulch.
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- I am fortunate to have an indoor greenhouse, where I can grow fresh vegetables during winter. The 16 beds have been cleaned, fed, and prepared for the next crops to be planted. I also use this greenhouse to store some of the tropical plants that cannot fit in the hoop houses because they are so tall.
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- Do you know what’s in the back of the Polaris? These are all the old asparagus ferns. Once they turn brown and have used all their energy for the roots below ground, it’s time to cut them down.
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- Every member of my outdoor grounds crew has a bag for tools and other necessary supplies. I always encourage them to bring whatever they may need to the project site to save time later.
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- And of course, there’s always time for some autumn decorating. These are the season’s harvested pumpkins from my garden – all displayed nicely along the wall in front of my Winter House. This fall has been very productive. I hope you’re getting all your fall chores done too.
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