And just like clockwork, this time every year my outdoor grounds crew begins the process of removing all the burlap around the farm, exposing the lush green boxwood that has been covered all winter long.
Every autumn for as long as I’ve been gardening I’ve covered all my boxwood shrubs, various winter-sensitive plants, and outdoor ornamental urns to protect them from the season’s heavy snowfall, freezing temperatures, and damaging winds. Then, every spring when the ground begins to thaw, it’s all removed and stored away. The entire process is a big undertaking; however, knowing my plants are protected in the cold is a great comfort. And seeing all the healthy, intact shrubbery and foliage at the start of a new season is an even greater delight.
Enjoy these photos.
During winter, all the boxwood shrubs and hedges are covered in this natural colored fabric. Fortunately, the weather here has been pretty mild these last couple of weeks – perfect timing to start our burlap removal project.
We remove the burlap once the temperatures are consistently above freezing and before Easter. All of the coverings are custom wrapped and sewn to fit each individual shrub, hedge, or bush. These are the boxwood shrubs and hedges outside my Winter House.
One of the first steps is to remove the wooden strips that help sandwich and secure the burlap.
The strips are collected and stored for next year. We keep all the pieces grouped separately and neatly.
The crew also removes the wooden stakes that hold up the framing. These stakes, which are an inch-and-a-half by an inch-and-a-half, were milled right here at the farm. These wooden stakes are also gathered and stored for later use. It is important to me that nothing is wasted.
All the rolls of burlap must be kept dry when not in use. One of the few downsides to this fabric is that it will start to fray and disintegrate after time, especially if exposed to moisture. Here is one roll of fabric. It may not look it, but this roll is quite heavy.
Here, some of the fabric is removed from the steel piping in front of my Winter House porch. The shrubs look so green.
And here is another section of the parterre. It’s always so nice to see the boxwood once the burlap is removed. For the frames we use the same metal used to make hoop houses – strong industrial steel ground uprights and purlin pipes. These materials not only provide the necessary support frames for the burlap but also accommodate any growth.
These fasteners are called tension purlin brackets. They connect the center piping to the bow sections of the frame. All the purlin brackets and pipes are saved from year to year.
After they are properly dismantled, each piece of framing is carried carefully to the truck and hauled away for storage. These pipes are made from rolled galvanized 16 gauge industrial tubing. The top pieces are 10-foot wide bow sections – these frames will last quite a while, I hope.
I also wrap all my ornamental urns in winter. It is much easier to cover them than to carry them in and and out of storage.
Here is Phurba uncovering the urn, which was also enveloped with protective plastic. The crew has been doing this for years – they have streamlined the process and everyone works swiftly and efficiently.
We use industrial burlap that’s available in giant rolls of 40-inches or 60-inches wide. These covers are used for two or three seasons before being replaced. Here, Moises is rolling up one of the burlap covers, which is still in good condition and will be used again next year.
The sections of burlap are tied with jute twine – we use this natural twine for many projects at the farm.
Phurba labels each roll of burlap indicating what it covers and where. The label will make it easy to identify next fall when the boxwood is covered again.
Once the crew finishes removing the burlap, the materials are loaded onto the truck and taken to the Stable Barn for storage. Taking down the burlap is a much faster process than putting the burlap up, but still time-consuming.
All the greenery was well-preserved under the protective winter coverings.
This low hedge is outside my Winter House servery.
Removing the burlap changes the entire appearance of the area and reveals what we hope for every year – green, healthy boxwood. The lighter hedge seen here is golden barberry.
And all the delicate flowers are popping up everywhere. What a gorgeous time of year.
There's always lots to do here at my Bedford, New York farm. Among our latest projects - moving the donkeys and their run-in shed.
I have several large pastures - enclosed spaces where my Friesians, Fell pony, and donkeys are turned out to exercise and graze. Recently, I decided to move my donkeys to another paddock on the north side of my stable, where they can view farm activities from a different location. Doing this meant we also had to relocate the donkey run-in shed. Run-in sheds are three-sided buildings that allow horses and donkeys free-choice access during inclement weather. My crew took on this task and got the job done in just a couple of hours.
Enjoy these photos.
Here on my farm, I always instruct my outdoor grounds crew to use the right tools for the right jobs. For this project, it was necessary to move the donkey run-in shed from one paddock to another quickly and efficiently. Our trusted hi-lo is the perfect solution for this task. A hi-lo is a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads. Here, Pete drives it carefully into the enclosure to the run-in shed.
The hi-lo can lift thousands of pounds. This run-in shed is not moving far – just to the other side of the stable and my Boxwood Allée.
The first step is to make sure it is completely secured. Pete, Doug, and Fernando wrap two heavy-duty straps around the entire shed.
Underneath, the crew places wooden boards and a metal pipe, so the shed remains intact when it is lifted. Giving it ample support from all sides is crucial.
A moving blanket is also placed on the forklift where the shed will rest, so the side is properly protected.
Here, the forklift is moved carefully under the structure…
… And in just a short time, the shed is on the move.
Pete drives the hi-lo carefully out of the paddock and onto the carriage road in front of the stable.
Then it is turned ever so slowly into the Boxwood Allée. The new paddock gate is just off one end of the allée.
The inside is completely empty. One can see how it is being carried on the inside.
In order to maneuver the shed into the paddock without touching the boxwood, Pete lifts the shed using the strong forklift arm of the hi-lo over the burlap covered specimens.
Here it is about 10-feet in the air – so far, so good.
Fernando is ready with blocks to place under the shed as soon as it is lowered into its new position.
And before lunch, the entire run-in shed is in its new home – intact and looking great.
Next, the sod from in front of the shed is removed and some industrial weed cloth is put down in its place.
Because this will be a high-traffic area for the donkeys, I wanted to be sure the entrance to the run-in shed is safe. Muddy high-traffic areas are not suitable for horses – they can cause poor footing, which can lead to leg injuries, strain, and stress to their joints, muscles, and ligaments. To help, Pete is installing this flexible, high density, three-inch deep polyethylene mat, which will contain filler and improve drainage where it is needed most.
The mat cells are each three-inches deep. It will be able to hold an adequate amount of stone dust.
Here, Pete starts filling the cells with stone dust. Once the cells are filled, they will add another two inch layer on top of the mat.
It can also be mounded up slightly in the center to allow for better drainage. Pete and Fernando make sure none of the mat is exposed.
Here’s Truman “TJ” Junior walking over to see what’s going on. “TJ” is one of five Sicilian donkeys here at my farm.
And where one goes, the others follow – here comes Rufus.
Soon, Jude “JJ” Junior joins the herd.
I think “TJ” likes where his new run-in shed is. He decides to roll right away – approval, or marking his new territory?
The donkeys seem to like their new space. This new paddock will be a fun change. Here, they will spend their days running, rolling, and grazing in the grass. It will also be easier for visitors to stop by and visit with them.
The run-in shed looks great in its new location and I love seeing it from the windows of my Winter House. I think the donkeys will be very happy in their new enclosure. See you soon, my darling “donks.”
There is so much to see in Madagascar - it is incredibly rich in wildlife and natural beauty.
Remote and isolated, Madagascar is home to many unique plants and animals. In fact, nearly 90-percent of its wildlife is endemic to the island. The diverse terrains include volcanic mountain chains, rock formations, sharp limestone cliffs, rainforests, and beaches. My family visited Madagascar during its hot, wet season which extends from November to April. From May to October, it is cooler and much drier with temperatures dropping as low as 50-degrees Fahrenheit. Our daily excursions included walks through Madagascar's national parks, helicopter rides over the coastline, and visits with some of the local villagers. It was a trip we will be talking about for years to come.
Here are more photos, enjoy.
Once we arrived in Madagascar, we boarded a helicopter to Miavana, where we stayed. Our guide and photographer, Marlon Du Toit, took this photo as we viewed the incredible landscapes. (Photo by Marlon Du Toit)
Separated from mainland Africa and India during the Mesozoic Era, Madagascar has been nicknamed “land that time forgot” because of its biodiversity.
The sunsets from the Miavana piazza are breathtaking. (Photo by Marlon Du Toit)
Here is a view through the palm trees. One could see for miles and miles in all directions.
Here I am in front of a defunct lighthouse. While many lighthouses still stand and serve as visual aids, modern electronic navigation now plays a larger role in maritime safety.
Here is a view looking up from the inside of the lighthouse.
Miavana is an island resort located off the northeastern coast of Madagascar. I drove around it on this off-road vehicle – one loop took a couple hours with stops.
One this day, the children went scuba diving. They are very skilled swimmers and love the water. And although they were still too young to get officially certified, they did a great job and saw so much while underwater.
Our daily excursions started from the helicopter. Here is a view of one of the villages. Madagascar is among the world’s poorest countries. Day-to-day survival depends largely on natural resource use such as harvesting seaweed, drying it out, and then exporting to other countries.
This village is named Ampisikinana. Everyone was so friendly. The official languages of Madagascar are Malagasy and French. (Photo by Marlon Du Toit)
I took photos of this classroom. The village children love their school and keep it in such good condition.
This is one of the first animals we saw while in Madagascar – it is a Madagascar day gecko. These geckos can grow quite large – up to a foot long.
Madagascar is home to more than 345 species of reptiles. This includes about half world’s 150 or so species of chameleons. Chameleons are small to mid-size reptiles that are known for their ability to dramatically change colors.
On one of our walks, we saw many Golden-crowned Sifaka lemurs. Here is a family with one lemur mother carrying her youngster. These lemurs are known to be some of our planet’s rarest primates.
Like all lemurs, these Sifaka lemurs are found only on the island of Madagascar. Unfortunately, lemurs are extremely endangered – and largely due to human infringement such as deforestation and hunting.
The eyes of the Sifaka lemur are captivating – although our cameras zoomed in for views, we were able to get pretty close to these amazing creatures.
My granddaughter, Jude, who was 11 years old during this trip, drew this lemur during an art class – she loves the animals and is a very talented artist.
Suarez Baobab trees are found in pockets across the landscape in Madagascar. Bats like to make their home in these trees. They are also responsible for pollinating the white flowers that bloom mostly at night.
Here is another view of the baobab tree. It is a succulent, which means that during the rainy season it absorbs and stores water in its vast trunk, enabling it to produce a nutrient-dense fruit in the dry season.
One of the many dishes we enjoyed was my grandson’s tuna – caught, cleaned and dressed by Truman himself. We were all so proud of him. It was delicious. Here is his grilled tuna served with salted collar steaks.
Marlon also took some amazing drone photos. This is of the clear beaches along the coastline. I hope you also saw all the photos on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48. It was a lovely trip to Madagascar filled with wonderful memories for me and my family. (Photo by Marlon Du Toit)
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