Here at my Bedford, New York farm, we're expecting several days of cloudy skies and showers, with temperatures in the 40s - a chilly start to April, but the gardens continue to transform.
I am constantly noticing something new blooming here. While many of the spring flowers are erupting with vibrant color, we've also been taking photos of the various trees, shrubs, and bushes and all the precious buds just beginning to open on their branches.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Here on my 153-acre farm, I’ve planted thousands and thousands of trees – in and around the gardens, along the carriage roads and throughout the woodland. I love how they look in the landscape and how they change through the seasons. Most importantly, we need trees for the environment – they help combat climate change, provide habitat and food for birds and other animals, and release oxygen for us to live.
The Pin Oak Allée is the first allée guests see when entering my farm. These trees are tall and impressive. Pin oaks, Quercus palustris, are popular landscape trees because they are fast-growing and easy to maintain.
Nearby, I have a stand of weeping hornbeams, Carpinus betulus ‘Pendula’ – the branches of these trees gracefully weep creating an umbrella of foliage that reaches the ground.
Hornbeam is monoecious, meaning male and female catkins, which appear before the leaves, are found on the same tree.
Outside my main greenhouse, I have Camperdown Elms, which slowly develop broad, flat heads and wide crowns with weeping branch habits. I also have beautiful Camperdown Elm specimens outside my Winter House.
Here are the spring buds. Soon, small reddish green flowers will appear before the foliage.
Viburnum is an upright, rounded, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub or small tree that typically grows to 20-feet tall and up to15-feet wide. This too is showing spring growth.
My blueberries are located between my Flower Garden and my Hay Barn. These blueberry bushes are so prolific – we harvest thousands of fruits every summer.
The first sign of growth are the visible swelling of the flower buds.
Just outside my kitchen on the terrace parterre is a tall weeping katsura, one of my favorite trees. Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum has these pendulous branches that fan out from the crown and sweep the ground. Tiny red flowers emerge in late March or early April before the leaves.
Aesculus hippocastanum is a large deciduous tree commonly known as the horse chestnut or conker tree. This is one of the many I have here at the farm. It is located at one end of my stable at the foot of my long Boxwood Allee.
These are beginning to bud. They will continue to grow over the next few weeks showing leaves and flowers. By mid-May to early June, these trees will be in full bloom.
And here are the early season branches of a weeping cherry tree down behind my stable. A weeping cherry tree is at its best when the pendulous branches are covered with pink or white flowers. I’ll share photos when it is in full bloom – it won’t be long.
Outside my Summer House is this Cornus mas, commonly known as cornelian cherry – a deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to central and southern Europe into western Asia. It typically grows over time to 15 to 25 feet tall with a spread to 12 to 20 feet wide.
Yellow flowers on short stalks bloom in early spring before the leaves emerge in dense, showy, rounded clusters.
One of the earliest trees to flower here in spring is the magnolia. This one down by my hoop houses is always the first to show buds and blooms. Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol.
From a distance, everyone notices the stunning golden-yellow weeping willows. Here is one grove of weeping willows at the edge of my pinetum. The golden hue looks so pretty against the early spring landscape.
When the tree blooms in late winter or spring, yellow catkins appear. In time, the catkin flowers will blossom with hundreds of hairlike protrusions. The flowers mature to yellow before they are disbursed by wind or rain.
My orchard surrounds three sides of my pool. We planted more than 200-fruit trees here, many of which started as bare-root cuttings. Some are now beginning to flower.
Some trees are still bare or still holding on to last year’s leaves, but very soon the entire landscape will transition again and be filled with lush green layers of foliage and more colorful flowers. Watch the progression with me on my blog and on Instagram @marthastewartblog.
If you're planning to use the family's special silver this Easter, polish it now - it’s always so rewarding to complete time-consuming chores before it gets too hectic.
This week my housekeepers took on the task of cleaning and polishing my drawers of silver flatware. There are a few ways to clean silver. One nontoxic method is to fill an aluminum pan with hot water, salt and baking soda, stir until it is all dissolved, and then soak the pieces until a chemical reaction occurs that removes the tarnish. This technique is faster than hand cleaning but may cause pitting and remove the more desirable tarnish called patina. Silver cleaning cloths made especially for removing tarnish from precious metals are also available. Many experts recommend using a good-quality, non-abrasive commercial silver polish. I have been using Wright’s Silver Cream for years.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
In my Winter House servery, I have several shallow drawers specifically designated for storing silver spoons, forks, and knives. Periodically through the year, we schedule times to polish a section of silver. These pieces are very lightly tarnished – some pieces don’t even look tarnished at all, but it is always a good idea to clean silver regularly, so it doesn’t develop a thick coat of tarnish that is harder to remove.
When it is time to clean, batches of flatware are removed from the drawer and brought over to the sink. With so many to do, it is wise to use a production line process to get them done quickly and efficiently.
Here on the left is a polished fork, and on the right is one that still needs polishing. It is hard to see, but there is a slight discoloration. Tarnish is caused when the chemical element of silver reacts with hydrogen sulfide, which occurs naturally in the air. This produces silver sulphate on the surface of the silver and shows up as the common black-brown tint.
Wright’s Silver Cream is a gentle all-purpose polish that works on all types of silver. It also works nicely on stainless steel and chrome and comes in a big tub.
When we polish anything, a terry cloth towel is placed on the bottom of the sink, so the metal doesn’t bang against any surfaces. I also do this whenever washing delicate china pieces – just in case something slips through the hands.
Carlos uses a soft moistened sponge to apply the cleaner. A soft cloth can also work well.
Carlos coats the pieces completely with the silver cream. The silver will start to brighten as it is rubbed. Always use silver polishes that are non-abrasive, and opt for formulas, such as creams and gels instead of sprays. It’s also a good idea to use gloves when taking on this task, so the cleaning cream does not come into contact with the skin.
Next, Carlos rinses them clean and uses another sponge to ensure all the cleaning cream is removed.
After cleaning with the silver cream, Carlos washes the spoons with water and dish soap. And never place any silver in the dishwasher. The detergents’ aggressive chemicals, combined with the washer’s high cleaning temperature, will eventually turn the silver to gray or white, with a dull, non-reflective surface.
The pieces are passed to Enma who dries each piece thoroughly right away with a soft towel to avoid any water-marks. Do not let your silver air dry, because water left standing can cause spotting.
The finished pieces are placed on another towel, so they can be sorted before being put away.
This can be the most time-consuming part of the process – matching up all the spoons and forks.
Enma looks at each piece carefully. Some are easy to group together because of their interesting handles and stems.
And look – these spoons are engraved with “Martha” and “Stewart.”
A clean piece of shelf liner is on the bottom of every drawer. These shelf liners are available at any kitchen supply store. I like to use non-adhesive grip liners. They stay firmly in place and provide a bit of cushioning for the silver.
Here’s Enma placing them all into the drawer, lining them up with other like pieces.
Like spoons are stacked with the stems slightly spread, so they can be counted without being touched.
Some handles have very unique shapes. When buying, look for similarly shaped pieces in case you need them for larger parties.
Try to make time to use precious silver when entertaining – regular use is the best way to prevent tarnish from forming. If you have a large collection, try to rotate the pieces, so everything gets some use during the course of the year.
These spoons are organized by size and style – notice how similar they are, but no two are exactly the same. Another tip for storing silver – keep it away from high humidity and high heat.
I have thousands of silver spoons, forks, and knives – many purchased from antiques fairs and shops over the years. I love using them whenever I entertain, so polishing three or four times a year is generally sufficient to keep everything in good condition.
The joy of owning beautiful silver flatware does require some work to keep it looking beautiful, but it is all well worth the effort. Have a wonderful and safe Easter weekend!
We're expecting cloudy skies and rain at my farm today, but my geese don't seem to mind one bit.
I’ve had Pomeranian guard geese for many years, but I also keep Sebastopol geese, Toulouse geese, African geese, and Chinese geese. They all reside in a large enclosure outside my stable, where they have room to roam, a number of dipping pools, and a shelter providing protection from strong winds and a safe place to nest and lay eggs. Geese are very resilient animals and love the outdoors in all kinds of weather.
Here are some recent photos, enjoy.
Everyone stops to greet the geese when they visit the farm. With their loud honks, barks, and cackles, it’s hard to pass them by. Here’s one coming right up to the entrance to say hello.
These are my Pomeranian guard geese – the oldest of my gaggle.
Here is my pair of Chinese geese. The Chinese goose is refined and curvaceous. It holds its head high and has a long, slim, well-arched neck which meets the body at about a 45 degree angle. Its body is short, and has a prominent and well-rounded chest, smooth breast and no keel. Mature ganders average 12-pounds, while mature geese average 10-pounds.
Their bills are relatively long and slender, with a large, rounded, erect knob that attaches to its forehead.
The Sebastopol is considered a medium-sized bird. Both males and females have pure white feathers that contrast with their bright blue eyes and orange bills and feet. Sebastopol geese have large, rounded heads, slightly arched necks, and keelless breasts.
And what is most striking is the plumage. The plumage of the head and upper two-thirds of the neck is smooth, while that of the breast and underbody is elongated and well-curled. Sebastopol geese cannot fly well due to the curliness of their feathers and have difficulty getting off the ground.
This is one of two African geese at my farm – a breed that has a heavy body, thick neck, stout bill, and jaunty posture. The African is a relative of the Chinese goose, both having descended from the wild swan goose native to Asia. The mature African goose has a large knob attached to its forehead, which requires several years to develop. A smooth, crescent-shaped dewlap hangs from its lower jaw and upper neck. Its body is nearly as wide as it is long.
African geese are the largest of the domestic geese. These two African geese are often found together in the yard. In nature, geese pairs bond and stay together for life. Most of my geese are paired off, but some males will also have two or three female mates. And don’t worry, waterfowl don’t need roosts – they are very happy gathering together and sleeping on the ground.
These buff-brown geese are Toulouse geese. On this breed, the bill is stout, the head large and broad, and the moderately long neck is thick and nearly straight. Often suspended from the lower bill and upper neck is a heavy, folded dewlap that increases in size and fullness with age. The body is long, broad and deep, ending in a well-spread tail that points up slightly. They are great guard geese – they scare off any animals on the ground and they can spot aerial predators, such as hawks and falcons quickly.
Geese are grazing birds that eat a variety of different items. They eat roots, shoots, stems, seeds, and leaves of grass and grain, bulbs, and berries. They also eat small insects.
In addition, I fortify their diet with a feed mix specifically made for waterfowl. And I always give them lots of vegetables from my gardens. They pick at them during the day. This goose is hoping some fresh greens will soon be placed into this trough.
This is Bear. He was incubated and hatched right here at the farm. He is about two-years-old and is very attached to the humans, although his “affectionate” pecks can sometimes be a bit insistent.
In winter and early spring, we put down a large bed of hay for the geese. It serves as a bed for keeping warm, but it also allows for good footing when it’s icy. We use hay grown right here at the farm. The older hay my horses won’t eat is perfect for use as insulation around my greenhouses and for the geese enclosure.
Do you know… a group of geese on land is called a gaggle? This is because when geese get together they can get quite noisy and rowdy.
In flight, a group of geese is called a skein, team or wedge. On the water or flying close together, a group is referred to as a wedge of geese.
And, while the term “goose” may refer to either a male or female bird, when paired with “gander”, the word goose refers specifically to a female. Gander is the term used to identify a male.
Domestic geese have plump bodies, slender necks, and humped bills that taper at the end of the mouth. Some geese have rounder heads than others.
Most domestic geese also have larger back ends than their wild counterparts and stand more upright.
Geese also have impressive visual capabilities. The way their eyes are structured allows them to see things in much finer detail at a further distance than humans. They can also see UV light and can control each of their eyes independently.
While both ducks and geese love water, geese don’t require a pond or large swimming pool – they swim much less than ducks and are content with a small dipping pool where they can dunk and clean their noses and beaks.
My gaggle of geese is fun, friendly, personable and protective. I enjoy their company here at Cantitoe Corners.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
