If you live in an area where foliage changes with the seasons, you know how exciting and beautiful this time of year can be.
The changing leaves are already providing lots of color - red, orange, yellow, and brown can be seen in areas across the landscape. I've planted thousands of trees and shrubs at my farm, so it's a fantastic place to take in the season's changes and enjoy all it has to offer.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Here at Cantitoe Corners, one of the prettiest times of year to walk the four miles of carriage road around my home and through the woodland is now, when the foliage on so many trees and shrubs show off their fall colors. This is one of the most popular views – the road leading to my hayfields and the woodland beyond.
In the Northeast, some trees change early, others late – usually from October to November.
Because of changes in the length of daylight and changes in temperature, leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to gold and orange colors come out and give the leaves part of their fall splendor.
The perimeter around my paddocks displays such wonderful shades of orange, yellow, amber, brown, and green. I love the layers of color created by the changing leaves. Although some autumn coloration occurs wherever deciduous trees are found, the most brightly colored foliage is seen in Canada, the northern United States, Scandinavia, northern and western Europe, the Caucasus region near the Black Sea, Russia, eastern Asia, Argentina, Chile, southern Brazil, Korea, Japan, and New Zealand’s South Island. Here is my grove of American beech trees. The American beech, Fagus grandifolia, is native to eastern North America and turns a pretty golden-bronze in fall.
Here is my Allée of Pin Oaks, Quercus palustris. These have done so well over the years.
The leaves are changing to yellow and reddish bronze. Once its fall color display is done, pin oaks often retain brown leaves, which persist on the trees through winter.
Hard to miss these bright yellow autumn ginkgo trees. I have many around my farm with the biggest and oldest specimen in the sunken garden behind my Summer House. 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.
This is a Stewartia. Native to Japan, this tree is known not only for its brilliant shades of orange that emerge in fall, but also for its interesting exfoliating bark and delicate blooms. I love Stewartia trees – do you know why? Here’s a hint: it’s in the name.
My longtime driver, Carlos “Uno” Villamil, took this photo a few days ago. It shows the edge of my Stewartia garden just outside my Tenant House, where my daughter and her children stay when they visit. This garden contains various Stewartias, Cotinus, and Japanese maples.
And here is another view Carlos captured.
This is the bright yellow American larch, Larix laricina, out in the pinetum. This tree is commonly called tamarack, eastern larch, American larch or hackmatack.
This deciduous conifer will drop all these showy needles just as winter approaches.
Persian parrotia or Persian ironwood is a small upright tree or large, rounded, multi-stemmed shrub. It is related to witch-hazel. These parrotias are on the east side of my large Equipment Barn. I also planted parrotias in my living maze.
The oblong green leaves turn various shades of red, orange, and yellow in the fall, often persisting into the winter months.
This is one of several Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’ trees, American sweetgums, planted in my maze. As these trees mature, they will maintain their erect, columnar form, growing up to 50 feet tall and only about four-feet wide.
Here is another type of sweetgum. For fall color, the sweetgum is hard to beat. Its glossy green, star-shaped leaves turn fiery shades of red, orange, yellow and purple this time of year.
I have beautiful healthy Osage orange trees along three sides of a paddock surrounding the run-in field and shed, not far from my tennis court. Here they are now as the leaves start to change from deep green to bright yellow.
These lindens are already turning too. I loved this linden tree allée so much, I decided to extend it all the way down to the chicken coops in 2017 – I am so pleased with how well it is growing.
Lindens, Tilia, are medium to large sized shade trees that are easy to maintain and attractive in any landscape. An older allée of linden trees is located just outside my stable.
And look what else is starting to bloom here at the farm. This is just one of hundreds of saffron flowers planted by my friend and colleague Hannah Milman. Planting is done in July, August and September either by hand or by machine. Harvesting comes at the end of October to mid-November.
At my farm I planted many different types of trees in hopes that they would shade, provide climate control, and change color at different times, in different ways. It’s so beautiful to see them change through the seasons.
And here are the changing leaves of the tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera. This time of year is always so magical. What does autumn look like where you live? Let me know in the comments section below.
Every week, I receive several meal kits to test in my kitchen. I like to test as many recipes as possible to ensure we're sharing the best ones with all of you. When I have to travel for business, I make sure the kits are given to members of my farm crew, with the one request that they take photos and share them with me. Recently, Patrick Tierney, who is part of my security team, took home Easy Prep! Seared Chicken & Lemon Butter Orzo with Spinach & Parmesan. Patrick's daughter, Claire, cooked the meal herself and the entire family loved it. My gardener, Brian O'Kelly, who loves to cook, took home another time-saving meal - 20-Min: Pulled Pork Quesadillas with Pickled Radishes & Sour Cream. The dish took less than a half-hour to prepare as promised and was enjoyed with great reviews. Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon features so many inspiring recipes and cooking ideas. If you haven't yet tried our meal program, please go to the website for more information on how you can subscribe right now - check out our flash sale! You and your family will love it!
Here are some photos.
One of the best things about our meal kits is how complete they are. The meals come with all the ingredients to make a meal for two or four hungry eaters. Also included with every meal is a large recipe card with the photo of the completed dish on one side…
… and the easy step-by-step instructions on the other. We provide the serving time, the nutrition values, and any possible allergen warnings. All the ingredients are also pre-measured and sourced to local quality purveyors and growers – just choose the dishes the week before, and pick the day of delivery – it’s that easy! We include all the ingredients except salt, pepper, oil, butter, flour, and milk – items one usually has right at home.
The first step is to prepare all the tools and ingredients. In French kitchens, this is called mis en place. Everything is organized before cooking begins. Here, Brian coarsely chops the cilantro leaves and stems and then finely chops the garlic.
He also slices the radishes into half moons. Radishes are rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and minerals like calcium and potassium.
Then Brian mixes the radishes with one tablespoon of vinegar and a pinch each of salt and sugar – this is part of the pickling process.
The pork comes in sections. Here, Brian placed it into a bowl…
… and then breaks the pork up into bite sized pieces. Here, he is adding half of the cilantro.
… and then he adds half of the salsa, also included.
To make the toppings, Brian puts the sour cream in a bowl, thins it with a little water, and then stirs in the chopped garlic along with some salt and pepper to taste.
The water is added slowly, one teaspoon at a time.
The consistency should be that of a spoonable sauce.
A spoonful of cheese is placed on one side of the tortilla. Brian prepares these on a rimmed baking sheet, so they are ready to put into the oven.
The main ingredient is the tender pulled pork. The pork is sandwiched between the flour tortillas and the cheddar-jack cheese.
The filled tortillas are then put into the broiler’s top rack until they are browned – about 2 to 3 minutes per side depending on the broiler.
Here are the quesadillas perfectly browned and still warm before Brian adds the delicious toppings of sour cream, pickled radishes, and the remaining cilantro, with salsa on the side for dipping.
At Patrick’s home, here are all the ingredients for the Seared Chicken & Lemon Butter Orzo with Spinach & Parmesan – always with a large recipe card that can be saved and used again.
The chicken is so easy to sear. Pan searing briefly exposes foods to high heat to brown the surface and create a crust on the outside. Searing works best with a skillet that retains heat well and can go from stove to oven.
Here’s Claire cooking the orzo in the same skillet as the chicken. The orzo is cooked, and then chicken broth is added before the chicken is placed on top of the orzo and baked in the oven.
And here is the finished dish with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and served with lemon wedges. It was a huge hit for the entire family – a meal they said they’d definitely make again. There was more than enough for everyone. If you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe to Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon today!
October is a very important month here at my Bedford, New York farm. It's when my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew are rushing to get all my warm weather container plants inside the greenhouses.
I have quite a large collection of tropical specimens. Because I live in a four-season region, during colder months it’s vital these plants move indoors where the temperature and humidity levels can be controlled. Plants that spent the summer at Skylands, my home in Maine, are also brought back to Bedford for storage. Most of them are kept in one of four hoop houses designated specifically for these plants. It’s a tedious process to put all these container plants away, but a very important one that helps keep my plants thriving.
Enjoy these photos.
Before storing, all the plants are brought to their designated greenhouse and placed outside, so each one can be inspected, and trimmed or repotted if necessary. Then, by size each one is carried into the structure where they will stay for about seven months.
This hoop house is located next to my Stable Barn and across the carriage road from my vegetable gardens. It is currently one of four hoop houses at the farm.
This hoop house is 60-feet by 26-feet. It is covered with a heavy-duty, woven polyethylene plastic that features an anti-condensate additive to reduce moisture buildup and dripping. It is also covered with a layer that contains UV additives that allow the fabric to maintain its strength. I am very fortunate to have these structures for storing all my tropical specimens.
We repurpose stumps from downed trees to use as risers for some of the potted plants. It’s important to make use of both horizontal and vertical space when storing. This is a stump from an ash tree. Notice the damage done by the emerald ash borer. The ash borer, also known by the acronym EAB, is responsible for the destruction of tens of millions of ash trees in 30 US states since it was first identified in this country in 2002.
Already inside are these dendrobium orchids. Native to Southeast Asia, the genus Dendrobium is among the largest of all orchid groups. There are more than 1000 individual species that vary in size, bloom color, and appearance. Dendrobiums grow in all climates, from hot, wet lowlands to high-altitude, colder mountains. All Dendrobiums are epiphytes, which means they grow on other plants. In nature, they grow on the branches of trees. Some are deciduous and some hold onto their leaves all year round.
Dendrobium orchids have roots that creep over the pot rims or through the pot’s holes, and in nature over the surface of trees or rocks, rarely having their roots in soil.
All around the farm, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew are busy gathering all the plants and taking them to their designated enclosures. Here are two of many sago palms, Cycas revoluta, ready for storage. The sago palm is a popular houseplant known for its feathery foliage and ease of care. Native to the southern islands of Japan, the sago palm goes by several common names, including Japanese palm, funeral palm, sago cycad, or king sago.
Last June, we potted up and displayed a group of pretty bromeliads around my pool. These are also removed from their decorative urns and repotted in plastic pots for storage.
Brian uses the soil from the container to pot up the bromeliads. If one has room to store them, it is always a good idea to save the plastic pots from the nursery. These containers come in very handy and can be used from year to year.
Most bromeliads grow as stemless rosettes of leaves that may be symmetrical or twisted and curled.
The leaves may be broad and leathery or fine and wiry. Many are colorfully banded and variegated.
Here’s Pasang carrying a bromeliad out to the carriage road, where it will be put on one of our trusted Polaris vehicles and driven down to the tropical hoop house.
Meanwhile, Chhiring carefully wheels in a potted Bird of Paradise into the hoop house. He moves this very carefully on a hand truck, so the container is not damaged and the branches of the plant are not hurt along the way.
Once it is inside, Ryan trims any old foliage. Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia reginae, is a species of evergreen tropical herbaceous plant, native to South Africa.
Next, Ryan grooms one of several stephanotis plants. Stephanotis is a genus of flowering plants first described in 1806. The name derives from the Greek stephanōtís fit for a crown. It is a climber that can grow to more than 20 feet with glossy, leathery oval leaves and clusters of pure white, waxy, intensely fragrant tubular flowers in summer.
These are the plant’s seed pod fruits that form after flower-bearing. They look like elongated mangos or avocados, but they are not edible.
I also display plants behind my Winter House kitchen in a gravel courtyard. This project of moving the plants is a big undertaking and takes several days to complete.
For really heavy potted specimens, we load them onto the bucket of a tractor that is lined with a moving blanket, so the pots do not sustain any damage during transport.
Here are more plants under the small pergola next to my main greenhouse.
One by one, they’re wheeled inside and positioned carefully, so none of the plants touch. Plants are sensitive and if left touching could cause a defense response reducing growth. Plants can also become more easily infested with pests or diseases if left touching. These are two Australian Brush Cherry topiaries, Eugenia myrtifolia. Each day, more and more plants are brought to the hoop houses for storing. We still have a lot more to put indoors, but I am glad we’re getting it done quickly, neatly, and efficiently. What plant chores are you doing this weekend?
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