by Emily Cates Are you feeling a little beat up from this winter? I sure am! And from the looks of it, so are a few of my fruit trees and a few more in the woods. While the promise of springtime is certain, it may be a while until it arrives. Until those glorious […]
GARDEN WORKS by Emily Cates For a while there, I’d thought Old Man Winter had forgotten us. No such luck! Now that we’re basking in the ice and snow, at least we can be comforted by the thought that the Solstice is behind us and the days will now start to get longer. Would it […]
GARDEN WORKS by Emily Cates Freeze and thaw, freeze and thaw. Such is the character of the ground this time of year. While the thought of gardening is iffy at best (without season extenders, that is), a determined gardener can still work in the dirt if the opportunity presents itself between freezes. Outrageous? Perhaps, though […]
GARDEN WORKS by Emily Cates Many folks are surprised to learn that autumn is a good time for planting trees. Once a good frost has arrived and trees drop their leaves, it’s a sign that “Tree Time” has begun! To make this event a success, let’s keep a few things in mind. The following suggestions […]
GARDEN WORKS by Emily Cates This one is for all tin-foil hat enthusiasts, and gardeners too. If you like tin foil, this one’s for you! When winter blasts the ground with her frozen air, critters are tempted to strip a young tree bare. But do not fret — no, do not cry — for aluminum […]
GARDEN WORKS by Emily Cates The end is near – of the gardening season! The vines have shriveled, the leaves have fallen, and the grass is turning brown. Though the scene outside may have begun to look rather apocalyptic, for many gardeners there are still many activities that can be done before the snow flies […]
GARDEN WORKS by Emily Cates My eyes dart back and forth between another tub of apples waiting to be made into sauce and a shimmering colander of freshly-picked grapes. “What shall I do?” I wonder as I try hard to figure out what to do with my precious few moments of spare time. As I […]
As the cool nights awaken to crisp, breezy days, the smell of cooking applesauce fills the kitchen. That’s what this article is about, making applesauce! Many thanks to Roberta Bailey for teaching me how a while ago. I’ll share with you all a few hints if you’d like: There’s no fancy recipe or anything. Simply […]
GARDEN WORKS by Emily Cates What a busy time of year, plum full of chores to finish and fruits to process! Whilst hauling a cartload of garlic plants from one corner of the yard to the place where I clean and prepare them for curing, I happened to walk by the plum patch. Then and […]
GARDEN WORKS by Emily Cates Every now and then a reader makes a suggestion for these garden articles, and I always welcome ideas and discussion- even criticism. The other day, though, someone brought something to my attention that I believe we should look closely at and really consider. If anything, I think we should at […]