Winter is the best time to cover garden beds with a rich layer of organic mulch.
Last spring, I began planting hundreds of azaleas on both sides of the carriage road leading from my Summer House to my Stable - so far, they're all doing excellently. Recently, I decided to cover the grass surrounding these plants with old burlap and mulch. Mulched areas help prevent the growth of weeds and cuts down on watering and mowing. Fortunately, we are able to make lots of mulch, and compost, right here at my farm. The new layer of mulch has transformed these azalea gardens and they look great.
Enjoy these photos.
I began this azalea project in April of 2021 with the planting of these white azaleas just outside my Summer House garden.
They were followed by more azaleas in different shades of pink.
These azaleas grew beautifully all summer and I continued to add more on both sides of this carriage road, ending with specimens in yellow and orange.
These plants are now dormant – many without their leaves. This winter’s weather has been very erratic. Some days have been bitterly cold and others mild and spring like.
When I planned this garden, I knew I wanted to eventually mulch the entire area, so this week, my outdoor grounds crew took on this task.
Any old burlap no longer suitable for covering boxwood for winter was taken out and repurposed.
The burlap was unrolled and placed around the azaleas and area trees.
Holes were made where the azaleas were planted.
And where there were no plants, the burlap was positioned in long swaths following the shapes of the tree pits.
Here’s Chhiring unloading the mulch from the dump truck, so it can be transported in wheelbarrows to various areas. Do you know the difference between compost and mulch? Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed over time, while mulch is the layer of organic materials used as a protective cover. This mulch is made right here at my farm from downed trees that have been put through the tub grinder multiple times.
Each wheelbarrow is filled with mulch and then walked to a designated place in the garden. The crew works efficiently in a production line process.
The mulch is then dropped in mounds and spread evenly throughout the space. Spreading a two to three inch layer of mulch will suppress weed germination, retain moisture, and insulate the soil.
During the course of the year, my outdoor grounds crew amasses large amounts of organic debris – felled trees, branches, leaves, etc., but none of the material goes to waste. It is either repurposed quickly as milled lumber and wood chips, or made into mulch and compost.
Chhiring uses a hard rake to spread the mulch and break up any clumps that are still frozen.
Working from another side, Phurba uses a soft rake to even the mulch nicely around the plantings, making sure every bit of burlap is covered.
Once an area is complete, it looks so pretty.
With this organic mulch, heavy soils are better equipped to hold water and resist compaction – reducing erosion and runoff. There is still some snow left over from a previous storm, but on this day, temperatures rose to almost 60-degrees Fahrenheit – there was a lot of melting everywhere.
Remember, when mulching tree pits, be sure to pull the mulch away from the base of the tree trunk and not up against the trunk.
Using mulch around the farm is a wonderful way to beautify the gardens and to give back to the earth. It all looks great – I can’t wait to see these azaleas bloom again.
And it won’t be long now – look, there are already signs of spring buds on some of these plants. I will be sure to share many more photos of my azaleas when they flower this year – stay tuned.
There's never a dull moment here at my Bedford, New York farm. Not only does my outdoor grounds crew work hard to maintain the property, but they also keep on top of any repairs that need attention.
Recently, my Fell pony, Banchunch, accidentally broke the hay manger out in his paddock. He was rubbing against the side to soothe an itch when all of a sudden the wooden stand collapsed and broke. Fortunately, Pete Sherpa, who has worked here at my farm for many years, is an excellent carpenter and was able to fix the manger quickly - and now it's stronger than ever.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Horses often back up to fences or other objects to rub their rumps, hips, and tails. On this day, Banchunch rubbed a little too hard on the hay rack and the stand fell apart. Some of the wood was already timeworn and in need of replacing, so Pete took on the task right away.
The manger, hay feeder, or hay rack is wooden or metal structure for feeding domestic livestock such as cattle, horses, and goats. This one is made of galvanized steel, but I had custom stands made for all my hay feeders for easier access. Pete took the manger up to our wood shop and removed the remaining broken pieces.
Here is one side of the stand that needs replacing. Luckily, we always save wood from other projects, so Pete had everything he needed for this job.
One of the most important rules in carpentry is to double-check one’s measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood. Here, Pete makes sure he cuts the wood to match the existing pieces of the stand.
I have all the necessary tools to do most tasks here at the farm. Pete uses this circular table saw to cut the cedar 2 x 4 and miter its ends.
And then he measures again to ensure it’s perfect – and it is.
Next, he makes pilot holes for the large screws he will use to keep the pieces secure and “Banchunch” proof.
Longer leg pieces are measured and cut.
The stand is coming together pretty quickly, but Pete wants to make it extra durable.
Here, Pete measures wood for a center piece half way down the side.
This piece will give it more stability. Pete makes sure it is straight before attaching it to the existing pieces.
One side down and one more to go.
Pete secures the newly built side to the manger using three inch screws.
Here is a view from the top.
Then he uses four inch bolts with matching washers and nuts to make it even stronger. Both sides are now attached to the manger.
Pete stops for a quick photo. The hay feeder is almost done.
Next, he measures a piece to secure across the bottom so the two sides are also connected.
Finally, Fernando, who is our resident painting expert, paints the entire piece my signature “Bedford Gray.”
Fernando applies two good coats of paint. The stand will dry overnight in the wood shop.
Early the next morning, Dawa and Pete return the manger to the paddock.
This stand looks as good as new, and should now last several years. Thanks Pete and Fernando!
It’s the start of a very special time of year for the peafowl at my Bedford, New York farm - it's the beginning of breeding season.
From late February until early August, the peacocks display their stunning and iridescent tail feathers, strut back and forth shaking their feathers and hindquarters to produce a rattling sound, and make loud calls to the females. The peahens tend to choose males with the longest, most colorful tails. It’s always very interesting to watch these mating rituals up close - the "tail show" can be quite amazing. Many of you comment on how much you enjoy the posts on the animals at my farm, so I thought it was a good time to share this update on my gorgeous birds.
Enjoy these photos.
Every afternoon, after the dogs are let out for some morning exercise, my peafowl are released from their pen to roam the farm. They love to congregate in my stable courtyard and watch all the activities. Here, one of my peacocks is fanning its gorgeous tail in competition for the females during breeding season. One can see the eyespots on this mature male’s tail feathers.
Peafowl are members of the pheasant family. There are two Asiatic species – the blue or Indian peafowl native to India and Sri Lanka, and the green peafowl originally from Java and Burma, and one African species, the Congo peafowl from African rain forests. All my peafowl are Indian.
All peacocks and peahens will look you in the eye, but if you stare at them or seem aggressive in body movements, they will feel threatened. I love how friendly all my peacocks and peahens are with people.
Researchers found that the longer the train feathers, the faster the males would shake them during true courtship displays, perhaps to demonstrate muscular strength.
This is one of my peahens. Peahens usually weigh about six to nine pounds when full grown. They are also more dull in color compared to the males.
Peacocks and peahens are very smart, docile and adaptable birds. They are also quite clever and very curious.
During the mating dance, the peacock turns in circles showing off his tail. This display is known as “train-rattling.” The stiff rear feathers underlie the front feathers and provide support when the whole tail is raised.
Here is another male un-phased by his friend’s mating dance. As beautiful as peafowls are, they don’t make very melodious sounds. Peafowls have 11 different calls, with most of the vocalizing made by the peacocks. And, with their sharp eyesight, peafowls are quick to see predators and call out alarms. Oftentimes, I can hear them all the way from my Winter House. And every time I call out to them, they respond.
This peacock is trying hard to attract the peahens – he has been “train-rattling” for at least 10-minutes. Peacocks have their full length tail feathers once they are at least three years of age. Peahens usually choose males that have bigger, healthier plumage with an abundance of eyespots.
Unfortunately, none of the peahens seemed interested at this time. They prefer to nap under the winter sun.
But this male is persistent – here he goes around again. After breeding season ends in August, the males lose their long tail feathers and then grow them all back before the next breeding season begins. The train gets longer and more elaborate until five or six years old when it reaches maximum splendor.
While these birds are ground feeders and ground nesters, they still enjoy roosting at higher levels. In the wild, this keeps them safe from predators at night. They look for perching spots all over the farm. These birds are resting on a burlap covered bird bath outside the stable offices.
Peafowl are beautiful – especially the males with their long tails, but do not underestimate their power. These birds are extremely strong with very sharp spurs. Full-grown, peacocks can weigh up to 13-pounds.
Both male and female peafowl have the fancy crest atop their heads called a corona.
Because most of these birds have grown up here, they are all very accustomed to the crew and always love visitors. Many of them come right up to sniff pockets for any treats.
For food, these birds get a healthy mix of cornmeal, soybean, and wheat. I also feed the birds spinach, cabbage, and squash. In the wild, peacocks are omnivores – they eat insects, plants, and small creatures. They do most of their foraging in the early morning and evening.
Peafowls very hardy birds, and even though they are native to warm climates, they do very well in cold weather as long as they have access to dry areas away from strong winds. These birds will spend most of their days outdoors, and nights in their coop where it is warm and cozy.
Meanwhile, Dawa works in the peafowl coop to freshen the nesting boxes for the peahens.
One is already eager to check out the space.
Soon two are interested to try it out.
A peahen will usually lay about three to eight brown eggs. It takes about 28 to 30 days for the eggs to incubate before hatching. I prefer to keep them in a mechanical unit until they hatch, so they are safe from all the other birds. Then they remain in a brooder until they are big enough to join the others. I wonder how many peachicks we’ll have this season. stay tuned…
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
