Outside the New York City area, we're expecting temperatures to climb to the high 30s today after a string of windy, biting cold days in the 20s. Although it has been very cold, it's "business as usual" at my farm - my gardeners, grooms, and outdoor grounds crew are all busy caring for the animals and gardens.
To keep a farm running efficiently, there is always a long list of chores to complete. I create very detailed notes of all that needs to be done from week to week. Some of the tasks include cleaning the coops and making sure the birds have access to warm bedding and free flowing water, mulching the gardens to keep them insulated during this winter season, organizing indoor storage spaces, pruning and feeding the potted trees, "cleaning the woods" of debris and fallen branches, and more. It's also a good time to make sure everything is in good working order before any more inclement weather arrives.
Here are some photos.
My Chinese geese don’t seem to mind the weather at all. All my geese have access to heated shelters and thick hay beds, but they all love to walk around their enclosure and watch the activity around the farm. Chinese geese are refined and curvaceous. They hold their heads high and have long, slim, well-arched necks. Their bodies are short, and have prominent, well-rounded chests, smooth breasts and no keel. Mature ganders average 12-pounds, while mature geese average 10-pounds.
Cesar Felix, who helps me care for all my birds, checks the water several times a day. When it’s this cold, water troughs need to be emptied of ice and then refilled, so the birds always have access to fresh drinking water.
This is one of my four exotic golden pheasants. Cesar constructed two shelters from fallen branches and covered the structures with hay. These gamebirds use them often when not in their coops.
On cold days, some of the peafowl perch indoors. These peahens are quite happy. Peafowl are pretty tolerant of cooler weather also. Their feathering and ability to regulate body temperatures help them to stay warm.
These peacocks are outside, seemingly un-phased by the cold and always on alert.
Cesar replaces the bedding once a week and makes sure everything is in good working order in the coops. On the wall is a Sweeter Heater, a safe, reliable and easy to install heating source. I have two in every section of each coop.
When it’s really cold outside, my crew works indoors. Here’s Fernando organizing one of my basement spaces, so we always know where to find items when needed.
In the gardens, Phurba and some of the crew continue the big job of mulching the beds. This insulates the soil to protect plants from extreme temperatures and gives the beds a finished look. And because I make my own mulch here at my farm, I know it is filled with nutrients, which improves the overall health of the plants.
Adan spreads a two to three-inch layer of mulch over the area. In time, the mulch will also help to suppress weed germination and retain moisture. Do you know the difference between compost and mulch? Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed over time, while mulch is the layer of organic materials used as a protective cover.
Nearby, José trims back the plants that have lost their leaves. When cutting back perennials this time of year, they should be trimmed to a height of one to two inches above the ground, close to the dormant base of the plant.
Pruning, grooming, and cleaning up is also happening in my nursery of boxwood and potted trees. This fenced in area is behind my hoop houses and well protected from strong winds.
My gardener Josh checks each potted sapling and limbs up each specimen where it’s needed.
He’s working on these young bald cypress trees. Cypress trees such as deciduous varieties like the bald cypress, turn a rusty brown in winter as part of the natural dormancy cycle.
Look closely – my resident tree expert, Pasang Sherpa, is out there checking on the mature trees in the woodland, looking for those that need to be trimmed or cut down.
Out in the pasture, it’s time to bring the horses indoors. During winter, I prefer the horses stay in the stable at night when it’s cold. During warmer weather, they are turned out in the afternoon when it is cooler.
… And here’s Jimmy bringing in the donkeys.
Once inside the stable – Rinze greets his good friend Bond, who just returned from the equine hospital yesterday. He will be turned out with his herd after another week of stall rest.
Meanwhile, in another area of the farm, a shipment of cedar timber is delivered from Medford Cedar Products in Southampton, New Jersey. This wood will be used to restore my long pergola.
The wood is stored raised off the ground to help keep it dry and free from mold and rot.
It takes a lot of work to keep everything running efficiently all year round. On this day, the skies were bright blue, but it’s definitely cold. And forecasters say we may get a little more snow in the region this weekend. Be careful.
If you've ever shared your home with an animal, large or small, you know just how vital it is to closely monitor their health and behavior.
I currently have 10 equine residents in my stable - four Friesians, a Fell pony, and five donkeys. Last month, I got a big scare when Bond, one of the Friesians, began acting unusual - he was fatigued, drooling, and unable to eat his food. My longtime equine veterinarian Dr. Elizabeth Kilgallon from the ambulatory veterinary practice, Miller & Associates, was called in right away. After a series of diagnostics, it was suspected that Bond was suffering from botulism, a rare but very serious condition caused by a toxin that attacks the body's nerves. Bond was rushed to Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center in Ringoes, New Jersey, where they had the proper medications. Under the close care of Dr. Rodney Belgrave, Bond slowly recovered and now three weeks later is finally back at my farm looking and feeling himself once again.
Here are some photos and advice on how to prevent botulism infection in horses.
Here is Bond, a beautiful 16-year old Friesian gelding, looking much better after a lengthy and worrisome three week stay in an equine hospital.
Last month he did not look as alert or as happy. He was demonstrating difficulty moving and chewing his food. He was also quite weak and dull.
My equine veterinarian, Dr. Elizabeth Kilgallon, in the jacket on the far right, Dr. Mackinnon, and Carly, were called in to check on Bond. Dr. Kilgannon has always taken such great care of my horses and donkeys. They started with a dental exam to see if Bond had a toothache. They removed a small fragment from his gum, but it did not relieve any of Bond’s symptoms.
Within 24-hours, Bond seemed worse – he was drooling and showing increased lethargy and loss of appetite. Other tests did not indicate any illnesses, but based on his symptoms, Dr. Kilgallon suspected botulism and recommended taking Bond to the hospital right away.
Bond was driven to Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center, where they were equipped with the proper botulism anti-toxins. The facility is the only private practice equine emergency hospital in New Jersey that provides 24-hour intensive care to hospitalized patients. The staff includes 40 experienced and dedicated professionals including 16-veterinarians in the fields of surgery, internal medicine, sports medicine and rehabilitation, and cardiology.
Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center also has multiple paddocks where horses can be turned out and rehabilitated as needed.
This is the center’s exam room, where Bond was taken for preliminary evaluation. (Photo by Karin Belgrave Photography)
And here is Dr. Rodney Belgrave who was assigned to Bond’s care. Dr. Belgrave has been the Staff Internist and director of the Internal Medicine Department at the Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center since 2003. (Photo by Karin Belgrave Photography)
Among the many tests at MAEMC, Bond underwent a standing skull CT scan to rule out any abnormalities. Thankfully all tests were clear.
Bond was admitted and taken to one of the center’s large in-patient stalls where he was carefully monitored.
He received IV fluids, anti-toxins and gastric ulcer medications.
Unfortunately, his condition worsened over the first 24-hours. Bond could not even stand – he was very weak.
Meanwhile back at my farm my stable manager, Helen Peparo, found a dead snake in one of the hay bales near Bond’s manger.
As a precaution, Dr. Kilgallon’s team administered botulism vaccinations to my Friesian Rinze and my Fell Pony Banchunch, who shared the same hay. Fortunately, neither showed any symptoms contamination.
Bond remained in the hospital for three weeks. Here he is with Helen after one week. He slowly started to show signs of improvement.
And then Bond finally stood. He was on the road to full recovery.
Here he is outside for the first time.
And here he was just yesterday after Dr. Belgrave gave us the good news that he was ready to return to my farm.
Bond was eating and drinking and looking more alert.
Lily is Dr. Belgrave’s veterinary assistant. She is very fond of Bond and said he was an excellent patient.
Helen secured support band boots on all Bond’s legs for the two-hour ride.
These supports do not restrict movement, but do protect the horse’s lower extremities.
Helen was given a discharge bag complete with reports from his stay and the medications he needs for the coming days.
For the ride, Bond was also given a bucket of “Dengie” or chopped hay which is more palatable for Bond as he heals.
Lily escorts Bond out of his stall – he is eager to walk.
And here he is getting ready to board the trailer. He is so much stronger than he was before the holidays. Dr. Belgrave said Bond looks great.
This is the inside of my horse trailer – it is all set with a fresh bed of shavings and the proper safety padding and bars.
Bond walked into the trailer on the first try. He’s ready to go!
Once back at my stable, he and Rinze nuzzled and neighed – they clearly missed each other.
For the next 10-days, Bond will continue a course of oral medications for his stomach which also suffered some ulceration. In addition, he will be hand walked for the next week as he regains strength.
Helen monitors every horse closely for any changes in vitals or behavior and keeps excellent records of everything. She will also monitor Bond’s attitude, appetite, and exercise going forward.
And check flakes of hay whenever possible. To protect horses from botulism, they can be vaccinated against the infection. Caretakers should also check water and food supplies daily making sure they are fresh and clear of moisture, and keep rodents and pests away.
And here is Bond – look closely, he’s smiling. I’m so glad you’re feeling better dear Bond. Thanks for all the help, Dr. Kilgallon and your team, Dr. Belgrave, and the staff at Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center.
It's always so great to start off the new year growing healthy, delicious, organic greens.
Now that it's winter, attention is turned toward planting my vegetable greenhouse, so I am never without fresh produce. Yesterday, my head gardener Ryan McCallister planted new crops of spinach, carrots, arugula, radicchio, parsley, mâche, chicory, and others. Some of the seeds are from my favorite sources, including Johnny's Selected Seeds, Vilmorin, and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - others I picked up during my recent trip to Italy.
Enjoy these photos.
Inside the head house, Ryan is preparing the markers for the vegetables to be planted. Ryan keeps track of what seeds do well at the farm – indoors and out.
I select what will be planted in each bed and provide Ryan with a specific diagram.
I already planted some crops. Ryan and I make sure to plant in succession, so there is always something growing. One cannot miss the gorgeous Swiss chard. They are so vibrant with stems of rose, gold, orange, and white. Chard has very nutritious leaves making it a popular addition to healthful diets.
The most common method for picking is to cut off the outer leaves about two inches above the ground while they are young, tender, and about eight to 12 inches long.
The beets are ready to pick. Beets are sweet and tender – and one of the healthiest foods. Beets contain a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains, which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support.
Lettuce always grows so well in this greenhouse. It’s a real treat to have lettuce like this all year long. I always grow lots of varieties of lettuce, so I can share them with my daughter and her children.
And this is young mâche – a type of leafy, non-lettuce salad green that some recognize as lamb’s lettuce, doucette, or corn salad with a nutty and somewhat sweet flavor.
There’s also a bed of kale ready to harvest. Kale is related to cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts. There are many different types of kale – the leaves can be green or purple in color, and have either smooth or curly shapes.
This greenhouse has 16 of these wooden garden boxes to fit the entire length and width of the space. One larger bed is at one end. Raised bed gardening allows good drainage, prevents soil compaction, and provides protection for those plants that may otherwise get trampled. Ryan starts by smoothing out the soil and wedding where necessary.
The first to plant is spinach. I grow a lot of spinach. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. I use a lot of spinach at the farm for my daily green juice.
Spinach seeds are slightly flat and oval-shaped.
Ryan plants them by broadcasting. In agriculture, gardening, and forestry, broadcast seeding is a method of seeding by scattering over the area. Ryan has planted them in rows, but it’s good to try different methods to see what works best.
Once all the seeds are dropped, Ryan uses the back of the soft rake to cover all the seeds.
For planting in rows, Ryan uses a bed preparation rake from Johnny’s Selected Seeds to create furrows in the soil. Hard plastic red tubes slide onto selected teeth of the rake to mark the rows. In general, seeds should be planted at a depth of two times the width, or diameter, of the seed. A seed that’s about 1/16-of-an-inch thick should be planted an eighth-of-an-inch deep.
Depending on each vegetable’s seed spacing needs, Ryan makes five or six rows in each bed.
This bed is designated for carrots of various colors. Each container of seeds to be used is placed next to its corresponding marker. I like to make sure we keep track of what varieties grow well, so I know what to use again next season.
These seeds are pelleted, or coated, carrot seeds. Pellets make seed handling easier for small-seeded crops.
Ryan drops two or three seeds every few inches. Once the seeds germinate, the weaker, less robust seedlings will be removed in a process called thinning. Thinning allows the best and strongest plants to grow, and gives them more resources like sunlight, nutrients, and water.
These are Arugula seeds. Arugula is a cruciferous vegetable that provides many of the same benefits as other vegetables of the same family.
Ryan drops radicchio seeds in another bed. These raised beds were designed for easy reach from all sides, so that work can be done quickly and efficiently.
Also in this bed, Ryan plants two rows of chicory, an herb native to Europe and Asia.
Ryan backfills the furrows to cover the seeds in each filled row. He also leaves some rows empty, so he can plant more in a few weeks. Lastly, every bed will get a good drink of water.
I am so pleased with this greenhouse. The structure uses minimal artificial heat, where many cold hardy crops, such as root vegetables and brassicas, can be grown and harvested through the winter months. Above, I installed grow lights specially designed to substitute natural sunlight, stimulating photosynthesis, and provide the right color spectrum for thriving plants. I am looking forward to a winter filled with bountiful harvests.