November 16, 2023

The Ginkgo Trees at My Farm

At my Bedford, New York farm, I have thousands and thousands of trees. Many were already well-established when I purchased the property, but the rest I've planted - in allées, in groves, as privacy hedges, and in rows within my living maze. One type of tree, however, stands out this time every year - the mighty ginkgo.

Ginkgo biloba, commonly known as ginkgo or gingko, and also known as the maidenhair tree, is the only living species in the division Ginkgophyta. It is found in fossils dating back 270-million years. Native to China, the ginkgo tree is widely cultivated, and was cultivated early in human history. In the sunken garden behind my Summer House, I have a stunning ginkgo tree that's probably about 250-years old. Although not as large as others I've seen during trips to Asia, my tree is quite massive - its trunk circumference measures at least 14-feet. Ginkgo trees have beautiful green leaves that turn a luminous golden-yellow in autumn. Then at some time after a hard frost sweeps down the east coast, this ginkgo, along with others at my farm and countless more in the area, drops its leaves to the ground leaving a gorgeous carpet of color below.

Enjoy the season's changes on the ginkgo in these photos.

November 15, 2023

Planting Spring-Blooming Dutch Iris Bulbs

If you haven’t started planting your spring-blooming bulbs yet, try to get it done soon! Here in the Northeast, the temperatures are getting colder fast.

Planting these bulbs can be a a very labor intensive task. As many of you know, every autumn we plant thousands and thousands of bulbs at my farm. This week, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, carefully planted rows and rows of Dutch iris bulbs in one of the beds of my new vegetable garden. These irises from Van Engelen Inc., a wholesale family-run flower bulb business in Bantam, Connecticut, are in shades of blue and purple and include varieties 'Silvery Sky,' 'Picasso,' 'Eye of the Tiger,' 'Pink Panther,' and 'Red Ember.'

Enjoy these photos.

November 14, 2023

My Geese in Autumn

For those of you asking how my geese are doing, they're all doing great and thriving here at my Bedford, New York farm.

I currently have 17 beautiful geese. I’ve had Pomeranian guard geese for many years, but I also keep Sebastopol geese, Toulouse geese, African geese, and Chinese geese. They all reside in a large enclosure outside my stable and next door to the peafowl, where they have lots of room to roam, a number of dipping pools, and a shelter providing ample shade, protection from strong winds, and a safe place to nest and lay eggs. Yesterday, we also added some hay to their pen - where they can keep warm on cold nights. Geese are very resilient animals and love the outdoors in all kinds of weather. I am glad they are happy here at Cantitoe Corners.

Here are some of the latest photos, enjoy.