In this episode of Gardening with Farmer Tracie, Tracie shows you how to weed your garden. Find out which methods works best for your plants. Video Series: Gardening with Farmer Tracie Article: Organic Farmer Tracie Smith
Gardens
plants
A garden cloche is essentially a scaled-down greenhouse used to protect young plants against the elements. First designed and used in the 17th century, cloches are still in use today. Using an outdoor garden cloche throughout the spring is an effective way to protect small plants from unpredictable weather while getting a jump-start on the […]
Bob King stands at the headworks of an old, 18-foot-high hemlock-and-stone crib dam spanning the Westfield River between Agawam and West Springfield, Massachusetts. It’s mid-April 2012, in the midst of what has been a historically warm spring following an unnaturally dry winter, and the only water coming over the dam shoots through two open sluiceways […]
Get an Energy Audit “This is the very first step. It doesn’t cost that much in the grand scheme of things–some states offer them for free–and it will pay back in four or five years. Think about a crack under your door that’s two millimeters wide and a meter long. If you calculate the area, […]
Massachusetts
Exploring Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham, Massachusetts, may be a bustling city today, but in the late 1700s and into the next century, it was a whole lot of country. Wealthy businessmen saw its large tracts of undeveloped land within close proximity to Boston and dreamt of splendid summer retreats. The payoff for us today? Three historic and stately properties—The […]
Gardens
How to Plant a Cranberry Bed
Cranberries were first discovered in New England by Native Americans centuries ago. The berries were used for food, fabric dye and medicinal purposes. Today cranberries are one of the top three native fruit crops harvested in New England. High in vitamin C and loaded with antioxidants, cranberries are a beneficial and relatively easy fruit to […]
Homes
Fall Flowers and Plants | Seven Seasonal Ways to Display Your Favorite Fall Flowers and Plants
Get the most out of your fall flowers, even after the first frost by displaying them in fun and innovative ways throughout November and beyond. Here are seven seasonal ideas to get you started. Mums: Bring in potted mums before autumn night frosts. Display on a plant stand or end table. The plants may be […]
The long-dead Native language Wopânâak that once greeted the Pilgrims is today again being spoken.
Biographer and Historian David McCullough approaches writing a bit like enrolling in college: “I know I’m going to be there for four years, and just think of what I’m going to learn,” he says. The author of 10 titles, all of which are still in print, McCullough’s interests have ranged from the Johnstown Flood to […]
Gardens
How to Harvest and Dry Seeds
It’s time to gather this past summer’s seeds from your favorite flowers and veggies to save for next year’s garden crops. In this post, I’ll explain how to harvest and dry seeds from your garden and share which seeds are the easiest to harvest for great results year after year. Before harvesting seeds from your […]
Extend the gardening season with these ten simple gardening tips and suggestions to prolong the life of flowers and plants.
Sean Litchfield is a Boston-based editorial and fine art photographer. A Cape Cod native, Litchfield holds a BS in Photography and works in large and medium format film as well as digital. He produces earnest, beautiful images that evoke the deep sense of uneasiness that marks the contemporary landscape. Ordinary scenes are rendered extraordinary, evocative […]