Here in Bedford, New York we're still enjoying the beautiful fall foliage despite some unseasonably mild weather. Following some overnight rain, today we're expecting temperatures in the mid- to high-60s Fahrenheit.
It's amazing how quickly plants and trees grow and change day to day. Starting in September, many of the trees in this area begin their autumn transformations - changing colors from bold green to various shades of red, yellow, and brown. Now in November, we see more bare branches, and in some cases, the late season fruits. Here at my farm, we see quince, persimmons, the berries on the Sargent crabapples, and those of the Cornus kousa, etc. While we've already picked and enjoyed the many apples, pears, and other autumn treats, these fruits continue to provide wildlife with sugar, protein, fat, and other crucial nutrients to sustain them through the season.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Just a couple of weeks ago, most of the trees around my farm were filled with gorgeous fall color. Foliage season here begins in late September and extends through early November. It’s one of the most beautiful times of year.
But it doesn’t last long. Now, more of the trees are bare. The term deciduous means “falling off at maturity” and “tending to fall off”, which refers to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed their leaves. These are two of the four Sargent crabapple trees outside my Tenant House and studio.
Looking closely, one can see the Sargent crabapple berries. The Sargent crabapple, Malus sargentii, is a dwarf fragrant, showy shrub with bright red berries. While these fruits are edible, they are also quite tart and are generally not consumed raw.
This is also a crabapple with fruits still hanging off its branches. While related to regular apples, crabapples are smaller in comparison and much more tart than regular apples.
Behind the main greenhouse, I have a grove of pawpaw trees. Asimina triloba, the American papaw, pawpaw, paw paw, or paw-paw, among many regional names, is a small deciduous tree native to the eastern United States and Canada.
The taste of a pawpaw is a mix of mango-banana-citrus all in one. It’s a big favorite for some here at the farm. We all enjoyed a nice bounty of these fruits a few weeks ago.
Near the pawpaw trees are two trifoliate orange trees, Citrus trifoliata or Poncirus trifoliata – a member of the family Rutaceae. Also known as the “hardy orange” or “flying dragon,” it is the most cold hardy of all citrus. It is a large, deciduous shrub that produces an unusually sour, downy fruit considered to be nearly inedible when raw, but medicinally beneficial and delicious when cooked. The fruit is commonly juiced, made into marmalades, jams, jellies, or candied. Trifoliate oranges are slightly smaller than conventional oranges and taste like a blend of lemon and grapefruit.
But watch out when picking – the thorns are long, thick, and very sharp.
Are you familiar with quince? Quince is a fall fruit that grows like apples and pears, but with an unusually irregular shape and often gray fuzz. These fruits turn a golden yellow when ready to pick in fall. The quince trees are all bare, but a few fruits remain.
These are also quince – ornamental quince, which are less known for their flavor.
The bright fruits of persimmons ripen in late fall, usually, after most of the leaves have fallen from the tree. I have a grove of these persimmon trees outside my flower cutting garden. The American persimmon, when picked at just the right time, can have a flavor that is rich, deep, and sweet.
Do you recognize these berries? They are the fruits of the American bittersweet weed, Celustus scandens L. On the branches are colorful berries and arils sometimes used in dry fall flower arrangements and winter decorations.
All parts of bittersweet are poisonous, but songbirds, ruffed grouse, pheasant, and fox squirrel eat the fruits.
Outside my Winter House kitchen is this beautiful Nyssa sylvatica, blackgum, or black tupelo. Its summer leaves are a dark green, but in the fall its foliage turns yellow, orange, bright red, purple or scarlet – all colors that may appear on the same branch.
In late September, small, striking, blue-black berries appear on the tree. These are technically edible but quite sour – the birds love them.
Along the carriage road near my back hayfield, I have several Cornus kousa trees – small deciduous trees in the flowering plant family Cornaceae. Common names include kousa, kousa dogwood, Chinese dogwood, Korean dogwood, and Japanese dogwood. The kousa has edible berries with soft pulp that is sweet with a similar flavor to a ripe persimmon.
Kousa trees also grow in Nepal, where several of my outdoor grounds crew are from – they always love snacking on the fruits of these dogwood trees.
I have beautiful healthy Osage orange trees along three sides of my North Maple Paddock surrounding the run-in field and shed, not far from my tennis court. These trees are bold green in summer and change to bright golden yellow in fall.
And although the trees did not fruit this year – some trees fruit every other year – these are Osage oranges. Have you ever heard of an Osage orange? The Osage orange, Maclura pomifera, is actually not an orange at all, and is more commonly known as a hedge-apple, horse-apple, or mock-orange. Each one is about four to five inches in diameter and filled with a dense cluster of hundreds of smaller fruits – some say it even resembles the many lobes of a brain. For the most part, the Osage orange is considered inedible because of its texture and taste, but they’re very interesting and fun to grow.
And beware… Osage orange branches are armed with stout, straight spines growing from the leaf axils.
And then there are the fruits of the mighty female ginkgo tree. The most noticeable thing about these is their smell. Have you ever smelled one? It is hard to miss, and the stench is quite disagreeable. The outer, nasty smelling pulp is known botanically as sarcotesta. Here is one seed separated from its fruit.
And of course, we still have a few late season apples on the trees. This one is hanging from my apple espalier outside my Winter House. What fruits do you still see where you live? I hope you can take some time to appreciate some of nature’s offerings, even if some of them are not for eating.
Grooming is such an important part of good pet keeping.
I have always been a firm believer in regular bathing and brushing for all my furred friends. This is true especially for my Chow Chows, Empress Qin and Emperor Han who have dense double coats. Their coats need to be groomed regularly to prevent them from becoming matted and tangled. Last week, champion show dog groomer, Carrie DeJan, came to my Bedford, New York farm to bathe and groom Qin and Han. Grooming is always a time consuming task, but one that's well worth the effort.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Han is first. My dogs are very accustomed to being bathed. They’ve had many baths, but always keep an eye on any dog who is getting washed – just in case they want to make a quick move. Han is secured to our custom made Scenic Road wheelbarrow – it has a drain.
Once Han feels the lukewarm water, he starts to relax. Han is five-years-old and such a good boy. It is very important to get all the shampoo out – a rule of thumb is to keep rinsing until there are no visible bubbles on the coat – and then rinse a little more. Carrie also applies conditioner and then rinses Han thoroughly again.
Next, Carrie puts Han on the grooming table and starts the long task of drying him. The coats must be blown completely dry.
Here, Carrie dries Han’s hind quarters and “pants,” or the long hair on the dog’s hind legs. These specially made dog hair dryers are essential. They do not really dry a dog’s coat by heat, but instead blast the water out of the fur. The high speeds also help remove the loose fur in their undercoat, which lessens shedding.
Carrie also dries between the folds of skin under Han’s chin. Drying in these places is crucial. Otherwise, the hair closest to the skin will pack down, retain dirt and moisture, and cause skin irritations. Han does not mind this at all.
Next, Carrie trims Han’s nails with a pet nail clipper. Han’s nails are dark, so the quick cannot be seen, so Carrie just trims off the tip of the nail. The “quick” is a soft cuticle that contains the blood vessel and nerves that run through a dog’s nail – one does not want to get too close to the quick.
Carrie trims the fur under Han’s feet. Doing this gives a dog better footing. The hair can grow quickly between and under the pads. She does this very carefully with the electric grooming clipper.
Then she uses professional shears to get harder to reach hairs.
She also takes this time to shape the foot, so it looks neat and tidy.
Carrie uses a pin brush to gently remove any tangles that may be in Han’s coat.
She also uses this time to inspect Han for any ticks, fleas, or possible skin irritations. She looks at the skin closely as she brushes his coat.
And then she goes over him again with a pin comb to make sure she didn’t miss any small burs or knots.
Finally, a good ear cleaning. My Chows are in perfect condition – in part because they are groomed and checked frequently and regularly.
And here is my handsome Emperor Han – what a good boy. According to the breed standard, Chows must have a lovely thick mane, with small rounded ears, giving it the appearance of a lion when all grown up.
Here is Empress Qin after her bath already on the table getting dried. If one chooses to use a hair dryer for humans, always put it to the no-heat setting. Never use high heat on a dog’s coat. Dogs are much more sensitive to external heat than humans are and have a far more difficult time dissipating heat.
Qin is a champion show dog, so she is very used to lengthy grooming sessions. There are two types of coat on a Chow Chow – rough and smooth. Both are double-coated. Qin is a rough-coated Chow. The outer coat is abundant and straight. The undercoat is soft and woolly. Chows should be sturdy and squarely built. Its body should be compact, and heavy-boned – Qin has a perfect body.
Here, Carrie uses a special brush by Les Poochs for removing any tangles. It is designed with long, flexible pins that glide smoothly from roots to tip.
Just like she did for Han, Carrie trims Qin’s nails – again, not too close, so the quick is not touched.
She also files her nails using a Dremel, so they are smooth. Some dogs may be afraid of the filing sounds, so be sure to always properly introduce any grooming tool slowly with lots of encouragement and praise. The sound of the Dremel doesn’t bother Qin at all.
Qin’s feet are also clipped just a bit to get the hair out from under and between the pads.
And a quick ear cleaning – both my dogs have healthy, clean ears.
You look marvelous, my sweet Empress Qin! Thank you, Carrie DeJan. I think I will also send my my Frenchies, Crème Brulée and Bête Noire, down for a quick nail trim, so they don’t feel as if they were left out from a day at the spa.
Now that the days are getting colder, and all the trees are dropping their leaves, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew are busy with fall cleanup.
To stay organized during seasonal transitions, I create very detailed lists of all that needs to be done. Current projects include cleaning the garden beds, covering the air-conditioning pits and hoop house vents, bleeding and storing the outdoor hoses, blowing and collecting the many leaves, and so much more. So far, this autumn has been quite mild here in the Northeast. The weather has allowed us ample time to ready the farm for the cold season ahead.
Here are some photos, enjoy. And don’t forget, Daylight Saving Time ends tomorrow morning, November 5th, so set the clocks back one hour before going to bed tonight. Those living in participating states across the US will get an extra hour of sleep. Daylight Saving Time occurs in many states and territories except Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Island.
It is so beautiful this time of year when all the deciduous trees show their stunning autumn colors before dropping their leaves. Here at my farm, fall chores are now in full swing. This is my long and winding pergola. It runs from my flower cutting garden all the way to my espalier of Gravenstein apples. On the left is a stand of stately bald cypress trees. These bald cypress trees are changing so beautifully. Although many conifers are evergreen, bald cypress trees are deciduous conifers that shed their needle-like leaves in the fall. Their autumn colors include tan, cinnamon, and fiery orange.
One of the biggest fall chores is blowing the leaves. Leaves can change their color from as early as mid-September all the way through mid-November. As colder weather approaches and sunlight decreases, the trees seal the spots where the leaves are attached – this process is what causes them to change color and fall to the ground. Rather than expend energy to protect these fragile organs, trees shed leaves to conserve resources for the next year. Here’s Phurba blowing leaves outside my vegetable garden. He is using our trusted STIHL backpack blower.
I keep all my air conditioners in large pits, where they are well hidden behind each house. These air conditioner pits are covered with industrial strength plastic and plywood to protect them from the winter elements. Covering these pits also makes it easier to maintain. Any snow or debris that falls can be brushed to the side before accessing the units below.
All the hoses around the farm are gathered, drained, recoiled, tied, and then stored away for the season.
Do you recognize this structure? it’s my pavilion outside my pool. During the warmer months, I have a long custom made yew table here and my large staghorn ferns hanging from the rafters. Everything is now stored away for next year.
… And the pool is now covered.
Around my hoop houses, bales of hay are stacked around the structures for added insulation. This is older hay my horses won’t eat, but they still come in very handy.
Any vents on my hoop houses are also covered. Fernando measures the industrial strength plastic that will cover the vent slats.
Pete lines up a piece of wood, cut from a downed ash tree here at the farm, that will be used as a frame for the vent cover. This will help to keep any additional drafts from getting into the structure.
Here is what the covered vents look like. Burlap is placed over the plastic to give it a more finished appearance. And everything is screwed down securely.
The crew blows leaves along both sides of the carriage road to my Summer House. Leaf blowers are noisy, but they are the most effective for gathering leaves into large piles.
Any leftover vegetables in the outdoor gardens are harvested for both me and my hardworking team. We put buckets of fresh peppers and beans on the lunchroom tables for anyone who wants them.
After removing all the old squash and pumpkin vines, this large garden – my previous vegetable garden – is rototilled several times. It is all ready for next year.
Large urns where I display tropical plants during summer are emptied and covered with plywood. In a few weeks, these containers will also be covered with burlap as part of our big “burlapping” project.
Here’s Brian cleaning the dahlia bed. We had our first frost this week. Dahlias are not frost hardy, so when temperatures plummet the leaves and remaining blooms collapse and brown.
While they were still in bloom, I went through all the dahlias and decided which ones we would keep for next year. Others were gathered for giveaway.
Here’s the dahlia garden all cleared. The remaining dahlia tubers are still in the ground and will be covered with burlap and a thick layer of hay for the winter. This method has proven to be a great solution for protecting the plants here at the farm, so we have viable dahlias come spring.
And, more blowing… Phurba and Cesar are now blowing the azalea and daffodil borders. Blowing leaves will continue for a few more weeks.
Once the leaves are blown into a manageable pile, they are directed to the opening of this vacuum tube.
The leaves go through the vacuum tube and into our dump truck. The leaves are then taken to the compost area, where they will decompose and get used again as mulch next year.
Meanwhile, our annual bulb planting project is about to begin. Our bulbs have arrived from Van Engelen Inc., a wholesale family-run flower bulb business located in Bantam, Connecticut, and are ready to get into the ground. We have thousands of spring-blooming bulbs to plant in the coming weeks.
And here’s Blackie, our greenhouse cat – tired after watching all the activity. What autumn chores and tasks are you completing this weekend? Share your comments with me below. And, if Daylight Saving Time is ending where you live, don’t forget to “fall back” and set your clocks back one hour before going to bed tonight.