Another Day of Snow at My Farm
Even if you’re not a fan of cold weather, it's hard not to love a gorgeous snow-covered landscape.
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, we got another few inches of snow late last week. Aside from doing other tasks, my outdoor grounds crew has been shoveling, clearing, plowing, and shoveling some more. Those of you with homes know the challenges - snow has to be removed from the roofs to prevent leaks, entrances to buildings must be cleared for proper access, and catch basins must be checked to ensure adequate drainage. Yet despite it all, snow definitely makes everything look white, glistening, and pure.
Enjoy these photos from the last storm.
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- This storm system started by late morning and continued through the night until the following day. At times, the snow fell fast and furiously. Yet, even with the falling snow, it is hard to miss this stand of eastern white pines, Pinus strobus. White pines are the tallest trees in eastern North America.
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- This is the espalier of Asian pear trees we planted last summer in front of the peafowl pen. Espalier refers to an ancient technique, resulting in trees that grow flat, either against a wall, or along a wire-strung framework. Many kinds of trees respond beautifully to the espalier treatment, but fruit trees, like apple and pear, were some of the earliest examples.
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- Down by the stable is the office building where my business manager, property director, and executive personal assistant work. In front of the building are these burlap-covered bird baths – the snow sits lightly on top, but the stone pieces are safe and dry inside.
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- Snow covered nearly every surface and stuck to nearly every crevice – luckily it was a light, fluffy snow. This light snow forms when all layers of the atmosphere are below freezing. Because the air is cold, all the way down to the surface, snowflakes don’t melt. It was about 30-degrees Fahrenheit all day, but very little wind.
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- Can you see the fence? The snow even stuck to the horizontal wiring of the pigeon enclosure. A metal pig decorates the side of the dovecote.
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- One of the first clean-up tasks is to make sure all the buildings can be accessed. A good, wide path is shoveled down the cobblestone courtyard to my stable, so my dear horses are able to walk in and out with ease.
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- The most prominent horse-chestnuts at the farm are these two in front of my stable. Starting in mid-May, these trees are bursting with reddish-pink clusters.
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- By afternoon, visibility worsened, but from this vantage point, one can still see my long carport and my Winter House in the distance.
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- Here’s a look across the paddock to the lindens and young European beech trees.
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- Here is a gurgling stream peeking through the blanket of white. The woodland streams are full – they look so dark against the snow.
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- This is one of two lower hayfields. On the right side, the weeping willows add a slightly golden hue to the winter landscape.
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- These weeping willows are located at one end of my pinetum. Weeping willow trees do very well planted near water, where they can prevent soil erosion.
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- These blueberry bushes under a small pergola between the Equipment Barn and my flower garden add a bit of reddish color to all the white and gray of this winter day.
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- Adjacent to the blueberry bushes are these quince trees. My outdoor grounds crew pruned these 16 Chinese quince trees last October. Quince trees can grow anywhere from 10 to 20 feet tall. Quince trees also do best in full sun and are tolerant of most kinds of soil, as long as there is good drainage.
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- This finial sits atop my Hay Barn – it too is covered with snow.
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- Across the carriage road are the weeping hornbeams. We prune these regularly to keep their beautiful shapes.
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- Here is my stand of American beech trees. They are slow to grow, but can live up to 300-years. These trees are so beautiful in every season. American beech trees are large, graceful native trees, and excellent for areas where there is room for the wide, low-growing branches. The trunks have silver gray bark; the dark green summer foliage turns a golden bronze in the fall.
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- This view shows the roofs on the chicken coops – today, the slate roofs are all capped in white snow.
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- These trees stand tall near my Tenant House. Thankfully, they also stood strong and remained intact during the storm.
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- These young trees seem to be faring okay – the snow does not seem to be weighing down the branches too much.
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- By late afternoon, we got a break – the snow stopped falling for a short while. This is the front of my Winter House and the steps that lead to the upper terrace parterre and my front door. The boxwood shrubs and hedges are well-covered. Notice the holes in the burlap. I always make holes to ensure the wild birds have a place to go in bad weather – just like this. Today, an additional one to three inches of snow and sleet are expected. But don’t worry – only 26 more days until spring.
Martha Pins
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