by Declan McCabe BURLINGTON – If you get a chance this winter, take a peek through the icy window of a pond surface. You may see water boatmen (order Hemiptera: Family Corixidae) clinging to the pond floor. Long oar-like hind legs propel these insects, inspiring their common name. Shorter, scoop-like[Read More…]
Columns
Another New Experience
by Willem Lange BERLIN – This piece will be perforce much shorter than my usual exhalation. I’m writing it flat on my back in a hospital in Berlin, Vermont. My lovely daughter Martha is typing this as I attempt to pull together the events of the last four weeks. In[Read More…]
Some Houseplants are Toxic for Pets
by Jodi Larison, Extension Master Gardener Intern, University of Vermont WEST DOVER – In their book, “How to be your Dog’s Best Friend,” the Monks of New Skete suggest that for many people, dogs and houseplants are the only readily available touchstones with the natural world. They also say that owners[Read More…]
Saving Seeds from Heirloom Vegetables
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – As a boy in the 1950s I knew there were two kinds of tomatoes: deep red, plump and tasty ones my grandfather grew, and the kind that came four in a package wrapped in cellophane. The Cello-Wraps, as I think of them, had[Read More…]
My First Experience
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – My first experience with surgery and general anesthesia occurred in 1949, at the so-called Children’s Hospital in Albany, N.Y. My grandfather, an old-fashioned Albany apothecary, probably had connections there; and my father, a clergyman, probably got a reduced rate. It was a simple, straightforward[Read More…]
How Deer Contribute to the Spread of Invasives
by Jen Weimer DURHAM, N.H. — A winter walk in the forest reveals a flurry of wildlife activity that often goes unnoticed during other times of the year. Often among the many tracks in the snow are the nearly heart-shaped prints of deer. The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is common[Read More…]
Planning a Garden in the Lawn
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – This is a good time to make plans. If you are willing to spend just 15 minutes a day, every day, from spring to fall you can create an edible showcase for beauty: the splendid look of ripe red tomatoes, multi-colored Swiss chard,[Read More…]
Making Sense of Seed Catalogs
by Dr. Vern Grubinger, Extension Vegetable and Berry Specialist, University of Vermont BRATTLBORO – Looking through seed catalogs, my mind leaps ahead to the growing season. I see lush green foliage and ripe, colorful fruits and vegetables. It’s a great way to cope with a long winter. Of course, seed[Read More…]
Greening up Office Space Helps Alleviate Stress
by Deborah J. Benoit, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Whether your office is in a traditional workspace or tucked away in a spare room at home, practicality rules and, above and beyond all else, your office is a place for productivity. That often means a[Read More…]
Hibernation: Winter Survival by Chilling Out
by Douglas Facey BURLINGTON – Mammals and birds are endotherms, which means they generate their own body heat through relatively high metabolic rates. That high metabolism requires energy, which these animals garner from food. We typically think of endotherms as warm-blooded; however, some of them are not warm all of[Read More…]
The Spring Flower Shows Are Back
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – The spring flower shows are always a contrast to the cold, icy days of winter. Bright flowers, garden paraphernalia and numerous workshops make these events fun, both for beginner and expert. Here is this year’s offerings, starting with the first ones in February[Read More…]
