HARDWICK – This story was originally written to run in a Center for an Agricultural Economy newsletter in the summer of 2023, but was postponed in light of the July 10 flooding. That event and its aftermath defined the summer of 2023 in our communities. It has now been updated[Read More…]
Columns
Spring Ephemerals are Early-blooming Woodland Plants
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION – Spring ephemeral wildflowers are perennial woodland plants that sprout from the ground in early spring, bloom quickly, and seed before the canopy trees fully leaf out. Once the forest floor is deep in shade, the leaves wither away, leaving just the roots, rhizomes, and bulbs underground.[Read More…]
Selecting Crabapples for Spring Flowers
NORTHFIELD – Flowering crabapples in full bloom are one of the major signs that spring has arrived, and that summer is not too far behind. Crabapples (Malus spp.) are great trees for tough, urban conditions. They can tolerate salty soil and occasional drought. Their small size makes some varieties appropriate[Read More…]
Cold and Rainy Ahead
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with rain in the morning becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with scattered showers and thunderstorms. High 61 Low 43. Thursday: Partly cloudy becoming mostly cloudy in the afternoon. Rain developing from west to east. High 55 Low 40. Friday: Rain. High 58 Low 43. Saturday: Partly[Read More…]
Then Again: Search for Missing Eleven-year-old Continues, Part II
Part One is here. VERMONT – Eleven-year-old Lucille Chatterton has disappeared from her Granville home on April 24, along with hired hand Earl Woodard. A state-wide search was launched for the pair, with Woodward assumed to be the abductor. On Wednesday, the Rutland Herald reported the scene around Granville: “All[Read More…]
A Young Red Squirrel Grows Up
RANDOLPH – Years ago, a hitchhiker found a baby red squirrel beneath a tree and brought it to the nature center where I worked as a naturalist and wildlife rehabilitator. The squirrel kit had not yet opened its eyes, so we estimated it was only three weeks old. Most squirrels[Read More…]
I’m Delighted to Have Them Around
EAST MONTPELIER – This is written in the last days of April. From my office window, the yard and the field and the woods beyond seem to be catching their breath before tackling what’s always come next. Out back, the air on this sunny day is alive with birdsong. So[Read More…]
Making Dyes from the Garden
PANTON – If looking for a fun gardening project to do with children, show them how to grow flowers to make dyes. Making colors from plants has several advantages beyond keeping children entertained. Natural dyes are safe to handle, and the plants they are derived from are easy to grow,[Read More…]
Future of fertilizer: Peecycling?
BRATTLEBORO – When Peter Stickney walks along his cow paddocks in the morning, he notes the scattered patches of greener grass across the pasture. He knows what this means: It’s where his cows have peed. So when the Rich Earth Institute, a Brattleboro organization focused on turning human urine into[Read More…]
Willows and April Bees
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION – Willows (genus Salix) are pollen powerhouses in April. From river banks to roadside ditches, these fast-growing shrubs provide abundant food for early spring pollinators. Their inconspicuous, greenish flowers are visited by a variety of different bees and other insects and are likely the primary pollen source[Read More…]
Wet And Cloudy Weather Pattern Through The Weekend
HARDWICK – Even though we had a cold front come through at the beginning of the forecast period last week, we were treated to a couple of days of sunny skies and slowly moderating temperatures. Several precipitation reporting stations noted that as that front passed through Wednesday, precipitation ended in[Read More…]
Vermont Girl’s Disappearance Sparked Massive Search, Part I
VERMONT – The last time anyone had seen Lucille Chatterton was at 6 o’clock on April 24, 1925. That’s when the 11-year-old girl told her father she was going to fetch some water from the spring, which was 50 yards from the family’s home in Granville. Her father, Walter, wasn’t[Read More…]
