One of the responsibilities of being a homeowner is to make sure all the necessary appliances are always in good, working order.
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, my stable team does quite a bit of laundry - at least a couple loads a day to wash all the saddle pads, horse blankets, towels, etc. To keep up with all the laundry, I have a washer dryer set dedicated to just these items. Recently, we determined these machines were due for replacement - they were several years old and starting to malfunction. Thanks to Speed Queen, we now have a new residential washer and dryer with large drum capacities and special cycles specifically designed for heavy duty loads.
Here are some photos, and some useful laundry tips, enjoy.
There’s a big delivery arriving at the stable and the horses are curious to see what it is. Here is handsome Bond watching all the activity from his stall.
Just outside – our new washer and dryer from Speed Queen. Speed Queen was founded in 1908 in Wisconsin by Joe Barlow and John Seelig as Barlow & Seelig Manufacturing. As young entrepreneurs, they started out by taking existing machine designs and improving them. In 1922, Speed Queen was the first company to introduce washers with nickel-copper tubs. And in 1928, they renamed the company “Speed Queen.”
Speed Queen makes a variety of residential and commercial products, from 25-pound capacity tumblers to 250-pound washer-extractors,
and dryers. These units are models FF7 and DR7 front loading machines.
The stable laundry room is located in the basement of my stable office building. Because the stairwell is narrow, we needed a powerful washer and dryer that would fit through all the doorways and down the stairs. When shopping for appliances always map the route to the room where the appliance will go and measure the spaces exactly.
Here is our new Speed Queen washer on the left, and a matching dryer on the right. Another good tip when purchasing a new washing unit is to make sure the doors are hinged on the most convenient sides. Our washer opens out to the left while the dryer swings open to the right. Doors are not in the way when unloading and loading.
On the day the machine was installed, my stable manager, Helen Peparo, set aside some saddle pads to wash. These pads are placed on the horse’s back and under the saddle – they can get quite dirty after a ride. As with anything that needs washing, never skip the prep work—take a look at the labels for any washing instructions.
Helen was eager to test out the new machines. Speed Queen’s Pet Plus cycles are specially designed for removing hair from fabrics.
Speed Queen’s washers take all kinds of detergents – liquid, powder, and pods. I only use the gentlest unscented liquid detergents for all the washing done here at the farm.
Speed Queen’s washer panel has easy to read options and allows one to customize the cycle for specific needs and times. Always be sure to configure the correct washer settings for a load. A regular cycle is best for sturdy and dirty items, while the permanent press setting is fine for the average load. Use hot water for white loads, warm water for the average load, and cold water for bright colors.
Helen moves the saddle pads into the dryer. Most dryers have settings that allow one to choose how dry the items would be. The permanent press setting has a cool-down cycle at the end to reduce wrinkling. On air fluff, the dryer circulates air but adds no heat.
This dryer has a large drum capacity for a large load of towels or horse blankets. The dryer also includes a Pet Plus feature for removing hair as well as anti-static capabilities. To prevent the dryer from overheating, always clean the screen or filter after every use, and remove accumulated lint from behind the dryer.
Here’s Helen ready to tack up one of my handsome Friesians with a clean saddle pad.
Once Hylke is secured and safe outside the stall, Helen starts to prepare him for a ride. All the horses are well exercised – they are ridden every day and spend most of their time in large pastures here at the farm.
Hylke remains very still – he is such a good boy. The saddle sits on the saddle pad as well as a non-slip pad so nothing slides during the ride and both rider and horse are comfortable with the equipment.
This was a very mild autumn day – it hit 70-degrees by the afternoon. Helen takes Hylke out for a short ride.
And then all the horses are turned out in my Run-In paddock, the largest here at the farm. These boys are more interested in grazing than posing for the camera.
The Friesian is most often recognized by its bold black coat color. Bond’s coat stands out in front of the changing foliage. Friesians also have long, arched necks and powerful sloping shoulders, compact, muscular bodies with strong hindquarters, and low-set tails.
My Fell Pony Banchunch is on the left and Rinze, the patriarch of the stable is on the right – such beautiful horses enjoying a lovely autumn afternoon.
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, whenever a member of my team returns from vacation, I always encourage them to share some of their photos.
Recently, Dolma Sherpa, who helps me care for my horses, returned from a trip to her native Nepal. Nepal is a landlocked nation located between India and the autonomous region of China known as Tibet. Sherpas live in the most mountainous areas of Nepal, high in the Himalayas. They are renowned in the international climbing and mountaineering community for their hardiness, expertise, and experience at very high altitudes. Dolma hasn't been back to Nepal since before the pandemic and was so excited to return and spend time with her parents and sisters.
Enjoy this selection of her photos.
Last month, Dolma traveled from New York City’s JFK International Airport to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital set in a valley surrounded by the Himalayan mountains.
Once Dolma arrived home, she was greeted right away by her dog, Kali. Dolma says Kali is very affectionate and was so happy to see her.
One of the first things Dolma did was eat some of her favorite foods. This is a plate of traditional Nepali foods. It is called Thakali and often includes rice, vegetables, buckwheat finger chips, and served with pickles and curry sauce.
During the first week of Dolma’s trip home, she traveled with her family to several temples in Bhairahawa.
This is a Chinese temple, also in Bhairahawa. This area is home to several temples – visitors travel from all over the Nepal and India to see them. Unfortunately, this day was quite rainy.
Nearby, Dolma captured this photo of a kamal flower, or lotus flower. Native to Asia, Lotus is the national flower of India. It is an emblem of beauty, grace, purity, and is considered a very auspicious flower in Hinduism and Buddhism.
This is a view of the tiny village Gandaki on the banks of the holy river Gandaki. Dolma and her family passed through it on the way to Mustang, one of 11-districts of Gandaki Province and one of 77-districts of Nepal.
This Kali River gorge runs below Dhaulagiri massif, a mountain mass in west-central Nepal.
Here is a family photo including Dolma, her sisters, and her parents Nima and Phuti. They are in Kagbeni, a village in the Baragubg Muktikshetra rural municipality of Mustang.
Dolma stopped to get this image of a great Buddha statue overlooking Muktinath Valley in Mustang. It looks like the skies are clearing.
Dolma found this very interesting – water being boiled by the sun in a giant solar dish. The water was used for tea and other warm drinks.
Here is another beautiful mountain view of Muktinath Valley to the west of Thorong La mountain pass in Mustang.
Dolma and her family took a short break in Kagbeni Village, which has a population of less than a thousand. At this juncture, they were greeted by one of many cows – they were all friendly and quite curious.
This is the suspension bungee jump bridge over the Kaligandaki River – the second highest bungee jump in the world. Dolma is an avid mountain climber and wanted to do the jump, but her parents were not excited about the idea, so instead they just took photos from afar.
Here, Dolma, her sisters, and her parents stand in front of the Lord Shiva Statue Pumdikot – one of the major attractions in Pokhara. This is Nepal’s tallest Lord Shiva Statue and was built in Mathura, India and then brought to Nepal.
This is a section of Patale Chango, which means “Underworld’s Waterfall”. This is one of the most visited places in Nepal. It has also been called “David Falls” after stories of a Swiss tourist named David fell from the waterfall and disappeared. Through a natural tunnel, the waterfall falls from about 500 feet above to 100 feet below ground level.
Back home, Dolma took photos of this rug, which she and her four sisters made when they were all little. They would work on it after school, day after day until it was completed. It still hangs in the family’s home.
In the farmhouse kitchen, they cooked corn on the cob for Dolma – another of her favorite foods, often enjoyed with yogurt or milk.
Here is Dolma with her cousins. On the right is Pemba, who is also the youngest brother of my outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring.
This is what Dolma’s family calls the “shrine room” and is used as a living room for family gatherings. It is filled with antique statues given to Dolma’s parents by her grandparents.
And here is the table filled with Dolma’s favorite roasted corn, boiled corn on the cob, and noodle soup.
When Dolma returned to work after three weeks in Nepal, she gifted me with this antique copper tea strainer. It is so beautiful and so special. Thank you, Dolma – so glad you enjoyed your trip home.
I am so thrilled to share a new development, something very special that you can check out and enjoy—today! This morning we are debuting Martha: Harvest + Holiday, an inspiring digital issue that you can access here - just click on the highlighted link. It offers the ideas and practical advice that you've come to expect from me and my team over the years, along with an immersive and rich, curated shopping experience. It’s unlike any one thing we’ve done before: It’s part content, part catalogue, it’s the Martha-logue! And whether you view this volume from your desktop or mobile device, you will find fresh suggestions and our favorite new goods.
You can get delicious recipes and see our new MARTHA by Martha Stewart Enamel Cast-Iron Collection in “One-Pot Wonders,” which was beautifully shot by our longtime contributing photographer Johnny Miller. Both the Dutch oven and braiser are so versatile and useful. With these pots, you can think beyond using them only for making soups, stews, or braising. Our Dutch-Oven Whole Grain Bread recipe, for example, bakes up gorgeously in a covered pot in just 40 minutes. There are also surprising and wonderful ways to cook with our braiser, including our recipe for Lasagna Pinwheels.
There are helpful and informative tips for how to winterize your garden. I’m readying my gardens and plants at both Skylands and Bedford for the cooler months ahead. It’s our aim to always provide you with timely advice and the proper tools to make accomplishing these tasks enjoyable.
When it comes to getting dressed each day, I love clothing that makes this easy and effortless—and looks fabulous. In “New Essentials” we share all the latest MARTHA by Martha Stewart pieces that you’ll reach for the most in your closet. There are new colors and patterns for our best-selling vests.
Classic shirts that always look polished. This was shot beautifully by another frequent contributor Ryan Liebe.
Smart pants—including our new line of denim with a flattering cut for everyone. These pieces are soft, high quality, and high performance. Many items are designed to work in the garden—or when you are running errands around town or going out on it!
If you know me, you know how much I love jadeite, and I have been collecting it for years. The various sizes and shapes of these vintage-inspired pieces make them wonderful for entertaining. I like to stack the cake stands on each other to add height to a display. Then fill with creamy cheeses, nuts, charcuterie, buttery crackers and more, or use them for a dessert or sweets table during the holidays.
You’ll also find our favorite recipes for the upcoming holidays, including my Turkey 101 for Perfect Roast Turkey. This step-by-step guide using our new MARTHA by Martha Stewart roaster is always on my table come Thanksgiving. We offer the secrets to success every time so you can prepare your bird with confidence.
No holiday volume would be complete without lots and lots of inspiration for decorating your home. Here is just a taste of the many pages inside Martha: Harvest + Holiday.
For me, the best gifts are thoughtful, useful, beautiful, and sure to delight the recipients. We curated several pages of our favorite presents in “Truly Gifted” our holiday guide to shopping for everyone on your list!
Please check it out here and I hope you enjoy it as much as we loved creating it for you!
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
