Fall Chores, Plain Busy

Monday, September 27, 2010

52° here on the mountain above Peacham Pond. Windless but rain pours off the roof, first as cats and dogs and then as drip-drip-drips. We are sort of in between right now with a gentle cadence of the drops by my office window. We needed rain and I like it more when it comes at night like this. A glance at the weather maps and there's little hope that we'll see sun until Wednesday so tomorrow's plans will need a little rearranging.

As fall arrives and our nursery is pretty much closed for the season, you can quite often find us on our hands and knees planting, weeding, moving--all in preparation for the next season. In today's world, many folks don't know what goes on behind the scenes of any business. Today it was more daylily work. Gail had new areas ready to plant based on varieties that were almost sold out or those which we must double and triple up on for next year. We probably planted 8 varieties today and prepared a similar number for later this week and yet the only one I can remember tonight is Vanilla Fluff. Tired!

With fall comes a self imposed mandate to do some things we want to do after a season that started April 1st and continued seven days a week until Labor Day. These are fun things that might not be too impressive to some but to us they are family oriented, educational, laughter generating, just-plain-fun things.

Last week we got to Burtt's Apple Orchard on Cabot Plains Road, Cabot Vermont. Cabot is the home of Cabot Creamery and some of the best cheese in the world. It's also the Burtt's home and their days of dairy farming have changed to beef cattle and pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, nice winter squash and great sweet corn. We go for their apples. Here are some pictures starting up top with secret (see white) beehives (honey, folks!) behind Macintosh apple trees.

Freedom Apples

Honeycrisp Apples

If you haven't seen state-of-the-art Vermont apple growing, it's worth a visit. Trees are planted 4 foot on center and are tied to 8 foot electrical conduit which floats off a ten foot wire rope kept taut with tensioners that are cranked tight to hold the weight. The tree leaders (think "Trunk") are encouraged to grow tall and the side limbs are trimmed at 3-4 feet wide. The fruit looks burdensome to the branches it is so abundant but this modern growing arrangement really works. Seeing it is easier than trying to figure out my description but eating a Honeycrisp apple is something you have to do personally.

In the next couple weeks things will draw to a close and Columbus Day will be the last day we'll entertain customers or visitors except by special arrangement. We're spending a day up north at the Old Stone House Museum and at a couple historical societies. Another day we'll scoot down to Proctor to see the Marble Museum and quarry, and before the end of October we'll visit Shelburne Museum and see theAnsel Adams and Edward Burtynsky visiting exhibit. Before the snow begins to fly we'll cover a few more back roads as we relax from a busy season. Nothing special, just getting out and seeing part of what makes Vermont so special.

Writing from the mountain where I think I heard thunder over Karl the Wonder Dog's snoring. I think.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens
On Twitter many mornings as vtflowerfarm

Crisp & Juicy Vermont Apples

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Even though everyone is busy tonight, it's still quiet here. That's nice. The sink is full of dishes and there's a good chance it will be full come morning as we've been out straight all day. Outside the temperature is dropping and the wind has grown tired too and has stopped blowing.

Today was the 100 th anniversary of the Marshfield Fire Department. Surrounding towns brought their vehicles and some of the antique trucks and equipment were spiffed up for a parade. Marshfield is home to some of the best bagpipers you'll find and they brought a cadence to the festivities. Many folks have never heard such good bagpipe music as we have here. Gail and Alex had plans to attend but thought they would first visit a new apple orchard on Cabot Plains Road above Cabot village.

Gail is a dedicated newspaper reader and she is big on the Hardwick Gazette and the Caledonian-Record from St Johnsbury, two close-by papers that can always make you smile no matter what is on page one. Gail's talent is seeing things I might miss and a week ago she mentioned the opening of a new orchard on Cabot Plains Road. It didn't click with me until I noticed a sign they put at the intersection of Routes 2 and 215 in our village. Gail said she and Alex were going so I handed over some green stuff and asked for some Honey Crisp apples if "they" had any. "They" were the Burtt's from Maple Glen Farm in Cabot. Keith and his son Greg were featured in a news article Gail saw that described an orchard of 750 trees the first year that then grew by an additional 1300 trees a year for two more years. That's a lot of trees!

By 1:30 Gail and Alex returned home and they were excited about the parade and their treasures from the apple orchard. They purchased two types of sweet corn, a couple nice winter squash, a bunch of ornamental corn for the door and some Honey Crisp apples for me. There were eight apples.....only eight apples. I promptly ate one and then there were seven in the bottom of a bag. These are not easy to come by so I told Gail I was heading back myself to purchase some more.

Macintosh apples

The Burtt family have done a great job with this orchard, and the quality of their products after so little time is really exceptional. As soon as they acquainted me with the layout, gave me a bag that would hold up to twenty pounds of apples and pointed me in the direction of the Honey Crisp apples, I began an apple picking experience I really enjoyed. The trees are dwarf trees so they stay in the 12 foot range but bear lots of fruit. They are also planted close together so there is an economy to fertilizers and sprays and they probably conserve water better planted this way too. The rows are long but the varieties are clearly marked to remind you what you're looking for.

The vegetable selection was nicely arranged and everything was neat and clean. I took two more winter squash and a gallon of cider pressed in a 130 year old press. Delicious!!

If you visit this part of Vermont in the next week or so, make sure you head up Cabot Plains Road out of Cabot village. If you decide to go later than this weekend, perhaps a call first would be a good idea. 802-917-2614. The Burtt's at Maple Glen Farm make a ride in the country a lasting memory. If you want to see some foliage, travel up the hill past their farm and you'll think you're at the top of the world. On a clear day like today, Camels Hump and a variety of Vermont's mountains are very prominent. You'll probably ask yourself what a covered bridge is doing in the middle of a field but you'll be standing at one of Vermont's most photographed sites as you ask the question. The answer is written on a sign, also in the field, where my aging eyes still cannot make out the answer. Here's what you'll see.




I picked a few Galarina apples too because I never saw or tasted them before. The Burtt's have 35 varieties including Jonamac, Cortland, Empire, Macoun's which I really like too, Galas, Baldwin, Northern Spy, Cox's Orange Pippin, Liberty, Freedom, Pristine and William's Pride to name a few. If you cannot make it up that way this year, put Burtt's Apple Orchard at the top of the list for next September. These are very nice farmers with a great farm and a special orchard!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where I hear a single Barred Owl ---calling but not getting an answer. That happens to me too.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm