Monday, November 29, 2010

Been up since just after 4 this morning and have to say that the wait for sunshine has been a long one. Seasons change and this time of year is quite a contrast to late May-early June when by now I am able to pull on some boots and head out with Karl the Wonder Dog. As I pushed the button on the coffee maker I noticed a movement outside at the upper edge of the garden. I turned off the light and watched out the window as 1-2-3 deer came through the field to the crab apples. Seasons have changed for them too as their morning diet begins to change from local gardens, grasses and wild fruits to twigs, raspberry and blackberry tips and any remaining apples. Today I can see the deer are eating a few grape vines too. When I work in the forests which I do this time of year, I make it a point to leave slightly taller stumps on certain trees so they will coppice for the deer and moose. Not all trees but many hardwoods put up lots of new shoots from the trunk base and over a couple years the multitude of branches provides a good food source.


The living room is a disaster now with plant catalogs, books and copies of our website. Gail is rewriting the daylily section and adding all the new-to-us daylilies that should have been added but haven't. She's doing a fine job but I am no longer asking when I can start my part. With Christmas approaching, we have only a week or so left to pull this all together. Having a website, even as small as ours is, requires more attention than many understand.

I made a German Apple Cake this morning (up top) and once again will share the recipe via a previous blog from September 2008. The only thing I ever add to the recipe is a teaspoon of vanilla. You'll enjoy this recipe but as I oft repeat, you'll be left with an empty pan and a desire for a second piece yourself if you're not watchful. It is tasty! Click on the link and if you try it, tell me what you think.

Guess I better get going here. A lone blue jay is looking in at me asking "Where's the seed?" Think I'll have another piece of apple cake first.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where morning car and truck traffic doesn't exist. Deer season ended yesterday and there is a little break before the next season.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
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Rusty At The Nursery

Sunday, June 13, 2010

It was quite a day at the nursery today. I got started early hoping to get everything set up for the day before Gail arrived. Just after I opened the gates, neighbor Gerry drove in for a chat followed by a van from Maine and two shoppers. They said they had been here last week and were back for more hostas. By now I have forgotten where they live as their last name was Gray which is also a town in Maine, not too far from Naples where I think they said they lived. I'll find out next time as they said they would be back again soon. Regardless, they picked out more hostas and some pots of rosemary and headed home about the same time Mike and Michelle arrived with Rusty, the Jack Russell. Rusty likes to visit as our 5 acre field is fertile ground for a hunting dog who has no fear of woodchucks and likes the speed of a red vole.

Rusty got a good run and as we regrouped under a shade house, he seemed intrigued by the John Deere 320 that we brought down and placed on exhibit yesterday. Mike put Rusty up on the seat and he immediately sniffed out an empty dashboard socket still waiting for a new instrument. Apparently a field mouse had climbed the tractor and entered the engine compartment through the hole and Rusty wanted to pursue it. I finally climbed aboard to slow him down a little and Michelle snapped a few shots of the two of us. I'm especially grateful to Mike for his flawless work rehabbing this old tractor to the point that it runs like a top. I also appreciate having a free hunter visit each weekend to help with rodent control. The fact that Rusty likes the tractor too is a bonus.

As the day progressed there was interest in the Siberian irises. I could really go crazy with these as they are so beautiful. Each bud only blooms for a couple days and many customers won't buy anything that isn't in bloom. This one is Sugar and Cream which has been on the market for some time but sure is an eye catcher. I sold a customer three last night and two people bought them today including friend Eric from Massachusetts by way of his camp in Groton, VT. Eric described winter losses at his camp and these were consistent with what many gardeners have reported to me except that he lost some Lilium canadense too. Usually I remind people that canadense often takes a break for a summer or two but the loss Eric described sounded more like the work of voles or moles to me as his loss was excessive.

Customers were consistent until just after 4 PM so I had more time to weed out some more daylily beds. I am not certain I'll get everything cleaned up before the heavy bloom starts in 2-3 weeks but I am trying. Poor soil really does breed good weeds and getting out a well fertilized dandelion growing in the middle of a clump of three year old daylilies is a challenge. I'll be back to the same task tomorrow morning!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where tall bearded iris and peonies add beautiful colors to hosta scapes and trollius, sweet williams and spirea blooms, rugosa roses and bachelor buttons, violas and daylilies.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
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