Showing posts with label brine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brine. Show all posts

Monday, January 16, 2012

Our Nursery

Monday, January 13, 2012


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Already almost 7 AM here on the mountain. The sunrise over Peacham Pond is very nice but the morning light deceives one about the temperature and occasional wind. It's -15.9° right now but the puffs of wind push it to -18°, -19°, -21°. This is supposed to begin to change today and we'll experience slightly warmer conditions by tomorrow.

I haven't looked at Google Earth in a bit and wanted to offer an image of our nursery for those who have not seen it yet. US Route 2 is delineated in the middle of the image and the nursery is on the bottom half of the page directly opposite the "2". The dark, meandering line is the Winooski River.

Our "almost 5 acres" begins at the hook in the river on the right and extends to the diagonal fence line on the left at the end of the rows of flowers. The triangle of land to the left of ours that extends to the next "2" road marker is not ours. That land was planted in fir balsams perhaps 25 -30 years ago as a Christmas tree project so that's now a big planting of over grown trees in that dark green clump.

Directly across Route 2 lives the former owner of our land, our friend Gerry, who still owns about 70 acres there. At the top of the mountain above his house is a large field that is not at all noticeable from Route 2. I have never been up there to see it so looking at Goggle Earth gives me an idea of what is there.

If you look at the hook in the Winooski River on the right you'll know where the river began a new course this summer during the floods in May and the August flood that came with Hurricane Irene. That dark clump of trees along the river is where the hosta and shade gardens are planted and its from that area that the river swept countless plants downstream. When I feature hostas and other shade plants, this is where they are planted. Perhaps 50 years ago this same area was a staging place for the state to stockpile sand and gravel for winter application to Route 2. This was prior to the days when salt was used by the ton or modern day liquid brine is applied to everyone's dissatisfaction.

I keep thinking of buying a good GPS and doing a better job of mapping the nursery and our land on Peacham Pond Road. For some reason there is always something else that gains more importance. Right now the wood stove says "Feed me" and Karl the Wonder Dog asks for a trip outside--a quick trip!

Have an enjoyable day today but bundle in layers and be concerned about your animals, children, and older folks. It's cold out there and it doesn't take much to do serious damage.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the birds are absent but will soon be looking for their breakfast buffet. I have to get going. If you have any winter gardening thoughts, drop us a line.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
We're always here to help you grow your green thumb!