Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Garden Inspirations Workshop


Interested in growing better vegetables next season?  Then, here's the event for you!  "Growing Vegetables," the second annual Garden Inspirations workshop to benefit the Latchis Theatre, in Brattleboro, Vermont is intended to provide gardeners with practical down-to-earth information about growing veggies, from choosing seeds this winter, growing those seeds into plants in the spring and summer, and then harvesting and cooking with them next fall.  The day will include insights from experienced Vermont farmers as well as acclaimed TV personality, Roger Swain, known to millions as the host of the popular PBS show, "The Victory Garden."  It all happens on Saturday, January 24th.  What better way to put a little springtime into a cold January day than learning how to grow warm season vegetables!  Click "read more" for additional info below....

Monday, December 8, 2014

Fickle December


It has been one of those periods in early December when the thermometer can't make up its mind where it wants to settle.  Consequently we have gone through more than a few days where it has both warmed up and cooled down in a matter of hours.  And, when you add a little moisture to this atmospheric uncertainty, you often end up with sleet or freezing rain that can pretty much blanket everything.  This makes for terrible driving on the roads and even worse walking on the pavements.  On the other hand, these conditions can create some of the most unexpected and unusual effects you'll get to see in the garden until the hornworms devour all your tomatoes next summer. 

I walked through the garden recently with my camera and captured a few photos.  As you'll see, most of the plants that are still left standing this late in the season take on an entirely different look when exposed to ice and snow.  I think they are beautiful even though many are either as dead as a door nail or, at the very least, as dormant as a hedgehog on Ambien.  Some, that are encased in ice, sparkle like the best crystal and radiate an inner beauty that rivals the plant's best appearance during the gardening season. In that sense, winter has given them a second chance to shine.

For a slideshow of photos, click on the image below...

https://picasaweb.google.com/105634001255227237610/DecemberImages#slideshow/6090454447915132402

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

So Long, November


As usual, I heard a lot of complaints about November this year.  For starters, November is one of those transitional months, simultaneously marking the end of the often beautiful and colorful fall and the beginning of the often long and intractable winter.  So, it's not unexpected that people get a little whiny during November when all they have to look forward to is three months of wool scarves and mittens. However, most of the complaints I hear about November have to do with how dreary it is.  And, for this I think it gets a bad rap.

Friday, January 31, 2014

Thinking Outside The Boxwood


At the beginning of every winter you can find me dragging heavy wooden teepees out of the barn to protect my most vulnerable plants.  It's a winter garden chore I look forward to about as much as I do the return of the black flies in the spring.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...