Here at my Bedford, New York farm, the outdoor grounds crew is busy "burlapping" - a term we use for covering all my winter-sensitive boxwood with burlap.
I am a big supporter of "burlapping" shrubbery for the cold season. Burlap covers protect the tender branches from splaying and breaking under heavy ice and snow while shielding the foliage from strong winds. Burlap is also more effective than plastic because it allows air to circulate through the plants. It is a practice I've followed for many years, and I think it also provides a cozy and pretty look to the winter landscape. This week, the crew finished the biggest part of this project - my long Boxwood Allée.
Enjoy these photos.
I love boxwood, Buxus, and have hundreds of shrubs growing on my property. I use boxwood in borders and hedges, as privacy screens, as accent plants in my formal gardens, and of course in the long allée to my stable. Just before it gets really cold, my outdoor grounds crew begins the process of covering all the boxwood with burlap to protect them from the winter elements.
These pipes are made from rolled galvanized 16 gauge industrial tubing. They are part of the supplies needed for our protective burlap structures. Hundreds of ground stakes, purlin pipes, connectors, nuts, and bolts are used for the project – all parts originally made for greenhouse hoop houses. I knew they would be perfect for covering the big boxwood shrubs around the farm.
To start, pieces are placed along the allée in a production line process. A long piece of twine is used to ensure ground pipes are positioned straight along each side of the allée.
Ground pipes are installed every four feet along the allée. These hollow pipes will anchor the supports.
Then, taller pipes are inserted into the ground pipes.
Small pieces of wood are pounded into the ground next to each steel ground stake. These short wooden pieces provide points at which the burlap can be secured.
These are 10-foot wide bow sections – they will last quite a while and give the boxwood a lot of room to grow. Building the frame at least a foot taller than the majority of the boxwood protects any heavy snow from weighing down onto the tender foliage.
Here is what it looks like once the bow pieces are in place. The boxwood has grown quite a bit in the last couple of years.
These are called tension purlin brackets. They connect the center piping to the bow sections.
Pasang secures the center piece that supports the bow sections.
And then Domi fastens the center pipe to the bow section using the tension perlin brackets.
Here is how it looks once the perlin brackets and the pipe are secured. Any snow that accumulates on top of the finished structures will slide down the sides.
Meanwhile, Moises Fuentes, who helps me with both gardening and cooking here at the farm, grooms the shrubs with our STIHL HSA 26 Battery-Powered Garden Shears. The HSA 26 is lightweight with a rubberized handle for comfort and a secure grip. It is one of my favorite tools to use – so easy and so sharp. It also comes with its own roll-up case to store all its accessories.
The burlap gets reused from year to year whenever possible. When it is removed in spring, it is rolled up, labeled and then stored in the dry trailer barn until it is used again. The labels save so much time because these burlap covers are made to fit precisely over a specific section of the allée.
This burlap is still in great condition – it usually lasts three seasons. Here, Chhiring is positioning it perfectly over the burlap frames.
Even scraps of wood can be repurposed for various projects. Here, we cut wooden stakes into small strips. The strips are about six inches long – just long enough to accommodate two screws that will keep the burlap secure.
To make it taut, the burlap is pulled down and attached to the ground stakes using the strips and screws.
At the ends, Phurba pulls the burlap taut and begins sewing it closed.
To sew the burlap, we use these large embroidery needles. Every grounds crew member has a needle for sewing.
Various birds love to nest in the big bushes, so we always add a few holes for our avian friends.
From the end, one can see how much room the boxwood has under the burlap. This will allow for good air circulation during the season.
Here is one finished section of the Boxwood Allée. The burlap still allows the boxwood to “breathe”, and get sunlight, which is important even during the colder months.
Chhiring finishes sewing the burlap in the last section of Boxwood Allée. It is a time consuming job – the entire process takes about two weeks.
But here is the allée all finished. I’ve been “burlapping” for many years and find that this is really the most reliable way to protect my hedges and shrubs. Covering this allée with burlap gives me comfort that all will survive the winter unscathed. And it is so pretty to see all done. And this is just the beginning… the crew has already started “burlapping” another part of farm – wait and see where the “cover up” happens next.
Have you ever tried moussaka? This flavorful Greek dish features a rich tomato meat sauce layered with roasted eggplant and topped with a creamy béchamel - and, it's another great and interesting offering from Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon.
It’s always nice to try new and delicious meals right at home. You will love the variety of recipes we provide. Each Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon box contains a large recipe card that shows a photo of the finished dish on one side…
… And each of the main steps on the other, with more photos to help show how it is done. What’s also great – these recipe cards can be collected and saved for future use.
Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon delivers fresh, pre-portioned, and well-labeled ingredients. The first thing we do is take out all the ingredients, place them on the counter where everything is easy to see, and check what we have and what we may need. This recipe also calls for olive oil, salt, pepper, flour, one egg, garlic and milk – items one likely already has at home.
First, Elvira cuts the eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
Then she tosses the egplant rounds with 1/4-cup oil and seasons them with salt and pepper. Now they are ready to go into the oven and broiled for about 10-minutes until they are well-browned. These rounds are on a baking sheet. The recipe card also lists what tools are needed to complete the recipe.
Meanwhile, Elvira coarsely chops the onion – also provided in the box.
And she finely chops one tablespoon of garlic, which is approximately three cloves, but if you don’t love garlic, use less.
She also coarsely chops the parsley leaves and stems. Doing all the cutting at once makes the cooking process quick and efficient.
Next, Elvira finely grates all the Parmesan cheese using a long stainless steel grater.
Use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes in the can, which makes it a little less messy.
This photo shows the top side of the eggplant done. Once one side is cooked, they are flipped drizzled with oil and broiled again for another five to 10-minutes.
In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, Elvira starts cooking the beef, breaking up large pieces with the spoon.
She adds a pinch each of salt and pepper and cooks until well-browned – about five to seven minutes.
At this step, Elvira has removed any excess fat with a spoon and added the onions. Stirring occasionally, the mixture is cooked until the onions have softened and browned.
Elvira adds the tomatoes, garlic, spice blend, 1/4-cup water, salt and pepper – and then brings it to a simmer.
Once simmering, the heat is reduced to medium, and the meat is cooked until it thickens. Then Elvira stirs in the parsley and seasons with more salt and pepper if needed.
It’s time to cook the béchamel. Béchamel, or white sauce, is a cooked mixture of butter, flour, and milk. It is a French base sauce used in dishes to add a wonderfully creamy element. Elvira heats two tablespoons in a saucepan over medium-high heat and adds three tablespoons flour. This is cooked until golden and nutty.
Next, she slowly whisks in one cup of milk and brings it to a boil.
The mixture is removed from the heat and then Elvira adds one egg and half of the grated Parmesan and a pinch of the spice blend.
The meat sauce is now in a separate bowl. Elvira layers the eggplant on the skillet and tops it with half of the meat sauce.
Then she repeats – a second layer of eggplant and then another layer of meat sauce. Moussaka is known for having distinctive layers.
The béchamel is poured over the top and then sprinkled with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Finally, it is broiled on the upper rack of the oven until the topping is browned – about three to four minutes.
The moussaka is taken out, topped with the remaining fresh parsley and ready to serve. Do you know… the word “moussaka” means cold or dipped in liquid – perhaps used because this dish is delicious served warm or cold. Be sure to visit Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon today and sign up!
This holiday season, if you come across a winter market where you live, stop in and support the small businesses in your area - it's inspiring to meet the entrepreneurs and to learn about their specialties.
Last weekend, I visited the Village Winter Market in Bedford, New York - a two-day event featuring more than 15-local vendors selling everything from ceramic, glass and wooden wares for the home to beautiful handmade jewelry and festive holiday decorations. The holiday fair was the first of its kind and launches a series of seasonal markets where entrepreneurs can gather together and share their products and expertise.
Enjoy these photos.
The town of Bedford, where I live, encompasses the small hamlets of Katonah, Bedford Hills, and Bedford Village. Bedford was founded in 1680 when a group of New England Puritans purchased the parcel of land from Chief Katonah and other Native Americans with fur coats, blankets, and cloth. I’ve been here for many years and love the small town feel, rich history, and close proximity to New York City. Over the weekend, I was happy to visit the two-day Village Winter Market on Court Road. The fair was held in an old farmhouse usually occupied by three businesses, but opened up to a group of vendors for the weekend show.
This outdoor tent also housed additional vendors and was decorated with holiday wreaths and trees.
My neighbor, Andy Yu, on the right, invited me to the market. Andy is a very talented clothing designer and was selling some of his items at the fair. On the left is my friend, Gary Nardilla. Gary was my television cameraman and director of photography for many years.
Here are some of the sport coats Andy designed. Follow Andy on Instagram @49andrewyu.
Brett Cameron owns La Maison Fête, a full service event design company specializing in celebrations of all kinds – private events, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. For this holiday Market, the house was divided into separate rooms for vendors. In the foreground, Brett showed many of her products for sale – candles, matches, napkins, books, and more. The house is where her business is located all year long. Her Instagram handle is @lamaisonfete.
Here is another view of La Maison Fête’s table – filled with items for entertaining.
Another business is oHHo, a hemp extract shop, which specializes in CBD products – oils, balms and creams, chocolates, sours, and more. Follow on Instagram @weareohho.
oHHo’s location is also permanently at 13 Court Road, where the event was held. This shelf displays oHHo’s Dream Cream, a soothing hand and body cream of organically grown full spectrum CBD, fragrant bergamot, neroli, citrus fruits, and lavender.
Here is the oHHo mini truck featuring their “Plants with Benefits” slogan.
Flying Coffee refers to the company’s fun take on “serving on the fly” – from their whimsical customized Vespa vehicles. Their coffee is single origin, single farm, and roasted onsite for customers. Flying Coffee also has a stationary shop inside 13 Court Road. Flying Coffee can be followed on Instagram @flyingcoffeeusa.
The Village Winter Market had a DJ who filled the rooms with cheerful music.
Marcie McGoldrick and Silke Stoaddard are two very talented and creative Makers who worked with me at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for years. It was nice to see them at the Village Winter Market. Follow Marcie @marciemcgoldrick and Silkie @silkestoddard on Instagram.
Marcie hand makes porcelain mugs, crocks, and bowls. She brought many to sell in a variety of cheerful colors.
Marcie also makes jewelry. These are cameo pendant necklaces – some are set in silver and gold.
And here is Marcie’s collection of rings – all so beautifully and carefully made.
Silke displayed her handmade winter knit hats, Christmas ornaments, sachets, dolls, cards, wrapping papers, and more.
Cabbage Hill Farm is a small farm in nearby Mt. Kisco, New York. They specialize in sustainable agriculture and aquaponics. They also sold many items at the Market including yarn and handmade knit goods. Their IG handle is @cabbagehillfarm.
At the Platform table, we saw many hand made bowls, containers, and spoons. Platform focuses on everything from American Colonial and Shaker furniture to Minimalist sculpture and Danish modern design. Follow @platformfaf.
Here’s Zach Hadlock, owner of Platform, widdling away next to his display table.
The Market was open from early morning until evening. It also extended its shop hours into the third day. It was a wonderful way to learn about the Makers in my area and pick out some holiday gifts for friends and family. And yes, I did buy a couple things and checked off names from my list…
That same day, I also hosted a lovely lunch at home for friends. Moises Fuentas, who helps me at my farm as a gardener and as sous chef, helped me prepare this wonderful meal – a garden salad with apples and dijon vinaigrette dressing, tomato soup with a drizzle of crème fraîche, and fettuccini limone served with a dollop of caviar.
For dessert, delicious brown butter shortbread cookies. A perfect meal after a good and successful time shopping and supporting my community’s small businesses. I hope you get the opportunity to “shop local” this holiday season.
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