On Feb. 2, all eyes are on the groundhog, that burly member of the squirrel family who is known as the predictor of whether we will have six more weeks […]
Farm & Garden
What would it look like to grow, harvest, and protect our bounty?
Browse all Farm & Garden stories below or dive into a topic:
ON THE LANDSCAPE
In Winter Buds, an Offering
Swaddled on sleeping branches, the gift of next season’s green
Imagine for a moment the view outside your window a few months from now. The sun moves higher across the sky. The trees are waking up. Delicate creased forms break […]
GARDEN PLOT
Seed-Ordering Season: A Beginner’s Guide
Winnowing what’s good for your garden from a pile of plant possibilities
January is the hinge of the garden year. With the garlic long planted and my tools cleaned and sharpened, I look forward to the winter hush as a time of […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Remarkable Life of One Dead Tree
In a cascade of decay, a churning, living system is awakened
On a walk in the Wellfleet woods a few days back I came upon a sort of ghost forest. At the trail’s edge and as far out into the underbrush […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
A Painter’s Eyes on Nature’s Winter Palette
Against the gray are rare hues best seen up close
Driving north on Route 6 toward Provincetown on a midwinter day some years ago with my radio tuned in to an interview, I heard a painter talking about how she […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Hour of the Pearl
In the moments before nightfall, there is magic in the air
John Steinbeck described it as “the hour of the pearl.” For him it was a magical interlude just before dawn: “The interval between day and night when time stops and […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Puddles of Winter Sunshine
Candles, ornaments, sparkling sugar, and other reminders of Earth’s new tilt
There are few things more glorious than a puddle of winter sunlight. On many afternoons I have gone from being active and productive to melting into soft butter in one […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Leaning Into the Wind and Rain
The air is raw and the mind protests, but the soul wants to go for a walk
I don’t want to leave the house. My mind says no. It insists on comfort, makes claims about self-preservation, and rejects the idea of going for a walk in the […]
GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK
A Green Garden in Winter
The season’s first frost doesn’t stop Jean Horner from growing food
Text and Drawings by Abraham Storer Jean Horner has been working on farms and in gardens since she was 18, after an earlier gig as a professional polo groom. These […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Simple Joy of Watching the Birds
After hanging a feeder, a nerdiness ensues with new rituals
Five years ago, I walked out into the yard of the house I was renting and hung a bird feeder. “I like birds,” I thought. “Perhaps I’ll enjoy watching them […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Winter Forest Has Its Sounds
Listening to the wind, waves, and the calls and silences of the great horned owl
The cold season has its own aesthetics. Bare. Subtle tones. Grays, browns, tans, blacks, the dormant green of pines. Blue air at dawn and dusk. The sky and ocean wearing […]
ROOTS
Growing the Eastham Turnip Is a Labor of Love
Heirloom seeds put down roots where the land will allow
EASTHAM — Orleans farmer Judy Scanlon can still recall the moment her interest in the Eastham turnip was sparked. “I was driving with my mother, just exploring, when we saw […]
TAKE YOUR PICK
The Other Oyster Fest: Eastham’s Salt Pond Sundays
Here, people follow the tides together, with permits and pails
EASTHAM — First light breaks on a balmy November Sunday. Dried leaves rustle in the steady breeze, but otherwise the waking world is hushed, silent even of birdsong. I have […]
GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK
A Late-Season Bounty of Blooms and Seeds
With Paula Erickson, in a garden that’s still coming into being
Text and Drawings by Abraham Storer Paula Erickson recently moved from Wellfleet to Truro, where establishing a garden has been a priority for her. It’s an expansive plot and has […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Leaning In for a Closer Look at Spiders’ Worlds
Orbs, funnels, and tangles made by nature’s master weavers
This is the season of misty mornings. The air is heavy with moisture that settles into the fields and forests as the sun rises. As this veil of dew comes […]
