As we head into late spring, Mother Nature is about to wallop us with a messy storm this weekend. A bit of snow, a bit of ice, lots of rain … she must be angry. March, the month of “in like a lamb, out like a lion,” is playing true to form this year. The start of the month was very mild, giving us a scare about the maple season with sap not running if nights are above freezing. We have had some ups and downs of good days and bad for maple syrup production, but we sit at a bit above half of our projected gallons to be made in a season, so it won’t be a disaster if it gives up running, even if we are short of our production goal.
We have been noticing the subtle change from winter to spring here at the farm with the hillsides turning a bit purple with the maple buds on some trees swelling and turning red, showing their hidden vigor and internal programming to survive and thrive. While some trees are still holding tight to winter with no sign of budding, others just a few feet away are starting to blush with signs of spring. Mixed in with other species still in shades of gray and pines and firs showing dark green, the mountains begin to show their “purple mountain majesty” as the days get warmer and the suns shines a bit longer every day.
I always wonder whether or not to pull in my birdfeeders as these little changes happen. Bears waking from their winter nap are hungry, and all local birdfeeders are easy snacks. I haven’t refilled my feeders for a few days and will probably take them in before April Fool’s Day if the weather permits, depriving them a breakfast on my lawn. The grass is starting to green up on the lawn and I have a couple of crocuses braving the up and down weather, so it is about time. I also need to take the Christmas trees that have served as a shelter and a feeding station for the birds off to the tree mulch pile where they can serve as shelter for the chipmunks and squirrels who will also be missing the easy eating at the feeders.
We hope to squeeze a few more sap boils into the calendar, but like others with orchards and berry patches, we need to turn our attention to pruning, fertilizing and prepping for summer. This time of year is a busy, highly anticipated season. The prep work of ordering seeds should be done or happening soon, applications of fertilizer will be made soon, repairs to winter damaged structures need to happen and before we are ready for it, blossoms will appear on apple trees, raspberry canes and blueberry plants.
One farm resident that didn’t do very well this winter were honeybees. The hives went to bed for the winter with productive colonies, but only one of the three made it through. The fellow who keeps bees here at the farm was here to open up the other day and told us of the loss. Bees are suffering a whole lot of challenges, and we were pleased that even one of the colonies made it through. It gives us hope. In a social, financial and political climate that has a lot of folks on edge, including us farmers, it is good to have a win, even if it is a small one. It makes me think of how resilient all these features at the farm are and how the trees, the flowers and the bees endure all manner of assaults and still come through. I just hope any of us suffering great challenges to our beings and our psyches can do the same and come out the “other side” of our hardships with a renewed vigor to survive and thrive.
Becky is the eighth generation to live and farm at Beaver Pond Farm in Newport, New Hampshire. Reach her at [email protected].
