Off-season visit
Lynn and her friend Ian dropped by for a visit today. Not quite the same as hanging out on a warm and sunny afternoon. But it was fun listening to Lynn happily chat about the growing season as we trudged … Read the rest
snow
Road to the Chickenhouse
In bits and pieces, with no one storm to take the credit, the snow has been steadily building up. Regular barnyard clearing is fully underway, by blade-on-truck and then the big tractor, with snow banks appearing in all the usual … Read the rest
Chickens in snow
These chickens like snow! The eight remaining roosters have been out and about in some fairly wild weather, making their way through 6″ (15cm) blankets of snow, gusting winds and absolutely freezing cold. They always have the option of heading … Read the rest
Stacking cages
The backdrop of snow turned the puzzle of sorting tomato cages into a bit of abstract art. I don’t use these exclusively, most of the 500-600 plants each year are tied to stakes or sprawled. But the cages get used, … Read the rest
Frozen chokes harvest
Despite the six inches (15cm) of snow on the big garden, fieldwork goes on. Today, I harvested about 30lbs (13.5kg) of Jerusalem artichoke out of the partially frozen ground, just to be sure planting stock is around over winter in … Read the rest
Change of view
Last month, this month, the seasons march on. It looks farily snowbound, but this could all melt off in a single unseasonably warm day. Like last winter. (Browse through last January if you’ve forgotten the completely odd DOUBLE melt-off we … Read the rest
Snowy
Around here, nothing says WINTER like snow in the trees (except, of course, solid ice in the trees). Three inches (7.5mm) or so of powdery snow overnight transformed the entire outdoors with that magical winter wonderland effect. At some point … Read the rest