by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Reclining in an easy chair on a recent cold and snowy day, I imagined myself a bumblebee. I meandered from flower to flower, taking in the colors and scents and textures of annual flowers, starting with A (alyssum) and ending with Z (zinnias).[Read More…]
Columns
Return of the Ospreys
by Meghan McCarthy McPhaul FRANCONIA, N.H. – On my commute to the Northern Woodlands offices in Lyme, N.H., I pass a long-established osprey nest, perched atop a very tall electric tower next to Route 302. This location offers the ospreys a view of their surroundings and provides me with a[Read More…]
Winter Survival Means Keeping the Heat
by Doug Facey BURLINGTON – To survive the cold of winter, some animals take advantage of protected habitats, such as wooded areas or under a blanket of insulating snow. Ruffed grouse, for example, fly into piles of loose snow and create roosting cavities to rest in when not foraging. Mice[Read More…]
Get Ready to Start Seedlings Indoors
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Starting seeds indoors under lights is a good treatment for the winter blues. It connects me to my upcoming garden and all its benefits. Early March is when I start onions and peppers, though April is the month for most everything else. My[Read More…]
Propagating Plants and Intellectual Property
by Nadie VanZandt, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont PANTON – As you plan for the new growing season have you thought to check if the seeds and plants you plan to propagate are protected as intellectual property? For thousands of years, people have freely propagated plants to share with[Read More…]
Its Joys are Indescribable
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – The one crucial item for a stay in a nursing home is (and I’m sure this will surprise you) a back-scratcher. That may sound weird, but think about it. When you’re lying on your back for unaccustomed long periods of time, it itches. Seriously[Read More…]
Musical Fish in New England? Meet the Burbot
by Doug Facey BURLINGTON – In the midst of winter, the ice-covered lakes of New England seem quiet. It may, however, be a bit noisy below the ice. Winter into early spring is the spawning season for burbot, when males produce sounds to attract mates. Burbot (Lota lota), also called[Read More…]
Tips for Buying and Enjoying Cut Flowers
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Winter drags on, even though the days are getting longer. The sun is often lurking behind gray clouds, and on a good day we only get about nine hours of light. I do miss the colors of summer, so I keep fresh cut[Read More…]
National Invasive Species Awareness Week in February
by Ginger Nickerson, Extension Forest Pest Education Coordinator, University of Vermont BURLINGTON – February 20-26 is National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Each year, organizations around the country use this week to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat they pose and how to prevent their spread. Most invasive insect infestations are first[Read More…]
It’s Been a Week of Ups and Downs
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – I just bought a brand-new candy apple red four-wheel-drive sport model, big-wheeled walker. Its name is Herschel, and it will replace my old walker, which features two small wheels and two pierced tennis balls. In him I am currently terrorizing the halls of my[Read More…]
Tomatoes: From the Wild to Domestic
by Deborah J. Benoit, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) have been on our tables and in our gardens for so long, it’s nearly impossible to think of them as growing in the wild. Once upon a time they did just that. That’s[Read More…]
I Can’t Reach Very Far
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – During the 1950s I had a friend who was kind of quirky. We were both aspiring mountaineers and did some really nice hikes and climbs together. But there was this about him: He took the label off all his possessions because he didn’t want[Read More…]
