Shallots can be planted in the spring or fall. They require a dormant period of about 4 weeks right after planting with temperatures between 32 – 50 degrees. The the cool ground helps the formation of good bulbs. Fall planting should be done 4-6 weeks before the first freeze of the season. Fall planting yields…
Clydesdales are a breed of heavy draft horse that originated in Scotland. They were originally used for heaving hauling in logging and mining camps and as a working farm animal. In the mid-20th century, the Clydesdales went into decline and there were only 80 recorded Clydesdales in England in 1949. In 1975, the breed was…
“Then followed that beautiful season… Summer… Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
In the dark ages (before the internet), the old timers would use nature’s calendar to know when to plant and harvest. Since they had no such luxury as a seven day forecast, they took cues from their surroundings to predict the weather. If the cows laid down in the field during the day, it meant…
It’s no secret that I’m a die-hard Lynyrd Skynyrd fan. I may be giving away my age by divulging that I spent my early childhood listening to 8-track tapes of the band. Not even a ruler crack across the knuckles, from Sister Innocenta, could break my devotion. Matter of fact, “Sweet Home Alabama” is my…
In my neck of the woods, February thru April is maple syrup time. During these months, the sap will start to flow only with the perfect mix of temperatures. Somewhere between the icy grip of winter and the warm breezes of early spring. A hundred years ago, the woods would be dotted with wooden or…
After being side-lined for several weeks with every virus and bacteria known to the medical establishment, my first order of business was to continue my quest for a well-fitting bra. Once again, I made the long trip to the mall. Consumed by desperation and a bra with no support, I decided that maybe it was…
Dozens of cedar waxwings made a playground in the ornamental crabapple tree outside my kitchen window. They twittered away in harmony, bouncing from branch to branch, stopping every so often to pick the small, dried fruit.
My cantankerous Christmas cactus, that I have been fighting to keep alive for years, has finally decided to bloom. Better late than never.
Mother Nature continues to hem-and-haw about what season it should be – even though the calendar clearly states that is it February. The past few days, again, have been a mix of sleet, freezing rain, and snow followed by an un-seasonal warm-up. Every creature and plant in this area has been in a state of…
It was the old timer up the road on the other end of the phone line. “Where the hell is your husband?” he demanded to know. “Same place he is everyday at this time… at work,” I barked back. “Get up here right now and bring a flashlight and the roof rake (a 10 ft…
Mother Nature is in the midst of a serious seasonal identity crisis in my part of the woods. In the matter of five days, we have experienced a 50+ degree temperature swing, going from -15 degrees below zero, to a balmy 57 degrees and back down to 28 degrees. The waterfalls on the farm don’t know…
The Farmers in the Dell 