An Early Spring Tour Of The Farm

April 21, 2014

Sometimes it's hard to believe, with all of this crazy weather we've been having, but spring is really on its way. I thought I'd give you an early spring tour of the farm to show you just a little of what's been going on. There are many exciting projects taking place and many more blogs to follow.

: Meanwhile, Wilmer has been busy marking out the vegetable garden.

: Wilmer also put a layer of compost on the garlic bed.

: The garlic was planted last autumn and is sprouting very nicely.

: The tropical greenhouse is vented during the day because it gets quite hot inside.

: The tips of the linden tree branches turn a reddish color as they are about to bud.

: Wilmer has been measuring and marking the beds and top-dressing them with rich compost.

: Chhiring and Phurba had the muscle job of moving the large cast iron fire pot. I keep it near my house during the winter for bonfires.

: During warm weather, it’s moved onto the great lawn.

: They lifted it up and onto its stone base.

: We build a fire in the pit to roast marshmallows during summer parties.

: This is the entrance to my kitchen.

: During a recent warm spell, I had the storm door glass removed.

: And replaced with the screen

: These door panels are held in place with screw locks.

: My Chow Chow, GK, loves the cool breeze.

: The same thing was done with the porch door.

: The glass panels were carried away.

: When not in use, the screens and glass panels are stored in the basement.

: There is much spring growth in the shade garden near the Tenant House.

: The daffodils planted two years ago are beginning to bloom.

: These are muscari plants, which will send up deep purple flowers.

: This long bed of bright blue scilla is a welcome sight.

: Even the honey bees think so.

: The vegetable garden is next to the chicken yard.

: Wilmer does a very nice job creating these beds.

: Bruce Corbett, who built the carriage roads at my farm, has been doing spring maintenance on all of the roadways. Here he is dumping a load of gravel.

: A sub-surface layer of bedding material is spread on the roads.

: The weeping willows are fast-growers and needed a pruning to clear passing vehicles.

: Chhiring and Phurba trimmed as much as possible from the ground.

: A fruit-picking ladder was used to reach the higher branches.

: A vibratory roller is driven over all of the surfaces to hard-pack them before the top layer of gravel is spread over.

: This machine attachment is a type of surface planer, which smooths the surface and takes out any ruts.

: The grass is turning green and the budding weeping willows are bright chartreuse.

: This is the long daffodil border.

: Some early bloomers

: Another section of the border

: Recently, Ryan and Wilmer transplanted all of the herbs into larger containers.

: During the winter, Ryan grew many plants from seed, like this flat of tarragon, an aromatic herb.

: The herbs were gently removed from the growing flats, keeping as much of the root in tact as possible.

: Each plant was placed in its own larger pot.

: There are even thickets of daffodils blooming in the woodlands. These were planted about six years ago.

: All of the transplanted herb plants were moved to the vegetable greenhouse where they will continue to grow before being hardened off for planting outdoors.