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1980

Southern Vermont

Notes: a small farm-&-gardening diary

January through May

For June through December click here.

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January
1--bright, cloudless day; ground bare, no snow, and no real early prospect of snow--40 °
--back boundary in A.M.
2--clear, cool, 30°, no snow
3--more of same
--M. to Houston
4--ditto
--C. to Acton
5--more of same; 8° last night
6--Sunday--cloudless, 25° high today
7--20° last night, overcast and windy; about 1/2 inch of snow at noon, warming up in P.M to 35° at 5p.m.
8--another gorgeous day: 20° last night and 30° today, sunny
--most of yesterday's snow melted away in the sun
--dogs to Vets in A.M., for rabies and distemper shots; Benji has ear trouble
--marked boundary beyond BearTop in P.M.
9--beautiful day again, 10° at night, and 30° during day; clear
--BT and LBT today
--C. home in P.M.
10--a touch warmer, clear
--BT in P.M.
--M. home from Houston in evening
11--warming, overcast, rainy, cloudy--bad day; 25° at 6a.m. and 50° at 7p.m.
--a real nothing day!
12--rain last night and 35° in morning; cooling during day, and 20° at dark; very windy
--power out for almost 2 hours in P.M.
13--Sunday--20° in morning and 30° in afternoon; clear, but clouds
--Bear Top and Little Bear Top in P.M.
14--overcast, misty, drizzly; 30-35° all day; dreary day
--LBT in P.M. with dogs
15--40-45° today; sunny in P.M.
--cut blown over oak tree at end of Upper Mowing in P.M.
16--40-45° again today, cloudless day
--cut tree at edge of mowing in A.M.
--B.T. in P.M.
17--35-40° today, sunny with clouds
--split and brought down some wood in A.M.
--sold some silver coins in Keene in P.M.
18--warm today: 35-50°, sunny and overcast in turns
--finished bringing wood from Upper Mowing
--BT and LBT in P.M.
19--overcast, 45°, very damp, but warm
--cut some wood in barn
--LBT in P.M.
20--Sunday--30-40° today, with snow flurries and windy in A.M.
--BT in P.M.
--woodwork in barn in A.M.
21--20° last night and 35° today, sunny and windy
--started moving wood into garage from barn for next winter
22--25° last night and 30-35° today; started snowing about noon, with 3-4 inches by 7p.m.
--wood from barn to garage in morning (finished second row in garage)
23--20° last night and 35° today; 3-4 inches total snow
--trip to Hanscomb Field (for groceries at base store), record high bill
24--10° at 7:30a.m. and high about 18°, very windy and sunny
--moved more wood to the garage
--gave blood in P.M.
--M. worked all day organizing wool for a new rug
25--10° last night and 20° bright and sunny today, with a little wind
--continued to move wood from barn to garage
26--20-30°, clear and not windy; beautiful day
--finished moving wood to garage
--moved wood from water room in basement to furnace room
27--Sunday--another beautiful day, duplicate of yesterday
--moved wood into water room in basement
--all wood gone from end-of-barn bay
--moved canned goods to furnace room
--to Bear Top in P.M.
28--10° last night and 30° today, bright and sunny, but some snow flurries
--S., C., M. & S. to BT and LBT
--swing put up on Bear Top
29--10° last night, and bright and clear today with 30° high
--S. & C. left at 7:30a.m.
--re-stacked wood in barn
30--5° last night and 18° today, bright, sunny, breezy, cold!
--stacked wood in end bay in barn
--citrus from Agway in P.M.
31--8° last night and 18° today; clear, sunny, breezy
--cut wood for dining room stove
--moved smaller sticks to Sugar House stack

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February
1--0° last night and 18° today; sunny, cloudless, but windy
--brought first wood into barn from pile up the hill
2--10° last night, and 18° during the day; bright and clear, windy
--more wood into barn from hill
3--Sunday--10° last night and 20° today, windy
--more wood into barn from up the hill
--wind baffles on Sugar House in P.M.
4--0° last night; bright and sunny today--again!
--wood from hill to barn in A.M.
--roof on Sugar House in p.m.
--M. to San Diego tomorrow
5--10° last night, 25° today; sunny, bright, another beautiful day
--M. to San Diego
--cleaned out furnace--new filter, etc., after I got back from Bradley
6--10° last night, 25° today; same clear, sunny weather
--finished cutting wood for the north bay in the barn
--dentist in P.M.
7--20° last night; overcast, then sunny later; 33°
--first stack of wood for next winter in basement
--fixed barn window in P.M.
8--20° last night and 35° today, bright sun
--finished filling wood bin in furnace room in A.M.
--BearTop and LBT in P.M.
9--20° last night, 35° today, bright, sunny
--more wood into basement
--BT and LBT in P.M. with C.
10--Sunday--repeat yesterday; same last 2 weeks!
--more wood into basement
--walked back road in P.M.
11--repeat, 10° last night, 35° today
--finished putting wood into basement from barn
--group from Amherst for lunch
12--repeat
--cut wood for barn stove
--M. back from San Diego today
13--repeat
--started Warm Room today
14--repeat
--took dogs to Vets in A.M.
--sold silver in P.M.
--M. to dentist
--bought new jacket
15--repeat
--planted tomatoes, zinnias, asters, cantaloupe, and celery seeds today
--dentist in P.M.
--walked logging road in A.M.
--snow predicted for tonight
16--20-25°, snow starting late last night and ending at 5p.m. today--about 6 inches
17--Sunday--0° last night and 20° today; bright sun
--did nothing
18--10° last night and 35-40° today; bright & sunny
--to R.R. Salvage in P.M for radio and wool socks
19--10° last night; 45-50° this afternoon; sunny in P.M.
20--20° last night and 50-60° today; bright & sunny
--planted tomatoes, cabbage, pansies, cantaloupe, and cauliflower in barn Warm Room
21--20° last night; snow today in P.M.
--put up plastic on Sugar House and tapped 2 trees; got some sap before temperature dropped at night
--some tomatoes have sprouted, also a few zinnias and one cantaloupe
22--1 to 2 inches of snow, with sleet and rain; 20° to 30° today; overcast and dripping all day--dreary!
23--30° last night and 40° today
--cleared up snow from yesterday and last night
--put out 30 sap buckets; got some run in P.M.
24--Sunday--dusting last night; 25°-35° today, overcast
--replanted cantaloupe, tomato, zinnia, aster, and celery seeds
--planted cantaloupe from VT Bean Seed Co.
--planted cress
--everything else planted is cropping up, except pansies
25--20° last night, 40° today; sunny, nice day
--trimmed trees across road
--replanted pansies
--picked up 30 gallons of sap in P.M.
26--10° last night and 20° high today; sunny, windy
--to Bear Top in A.M.
--everything up except pansies, asters, zinnias; even cress planted on Saturday is coming up
27--10° last night and 20° today; light snow all day
--to BT in A.M.
--waxed New Room in P.M.
28--wet today; 20° high after 10° last night
--did nothing
29--0° last night and 15° today; with wind
--another nothing day
--haircut in A.M.

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March
1--minus 5° last night and 15° today, bright sun
--Harvey Creran's funeral in A.M.
2--Sunday--10° last night and 20° today, bright and sunny
--BT and LBT in P.M.
3--5° last night and 35° today; bright & sunny
--replanted zinnias and asters this A.M.
--walked back road in P.M.
4--45° today and 20° last night
--sap dripped in P.M.
--put 2 tractor-loads of wood from hill into basement corridor
5--20° last night and 30° today, with snow, sleet, etc.; miserable day, but clearing in P.M.
--zinnias and asters planted, again
6--20° last night and 30-35° today, sunny, with some sap running
--finished putting wood into basement for next year
--note: 7 tractor-loads for corridor stack
--picked up maple sap in P.M. and prepared Sugar House; will boil tomorrow
7--very windy and 35° today
--started boiling this morning early; not much sap or good sap
--while busy making improvements in sugar House, I burned the sap!
--picked up paper products at Agway
8--in 40's; snow, rain, slush last night and rain off and on today; awash in melted snow
--sap running in some taps
--end of wood furnace for winter
9--Sunday--25° last night; overcast, snow flurries in A.M.; bright & sunny in P.M., up to 45°
--not much sap flowed
--M. started round braided rug
10--20° last night and 45° today
--sap running in P.M.
--brought wood down to barn in A.M. until it got too muddy
11--30° last night and today; very windy, and with snow flurries
--boiled today and got 1 gallon of syrup
12--5° last night and 30° today; sunny, very windy
--to Hanscomb today
--sap did not run
13--10° last night and 30° today; overcast in P.M.
--sap still not running
--finished bringing wood from hill to barn
--to Bear Top in P.M.
14--snow last night and today: 8 to 10 inches
--cleaned furnace and shoveled snow
15--20° last night and 32° today, sunny and windy
--did nothing
16--Sunday--20° last night and 40°plus today; bright, sunny, clear
--sap running
--to B.T. in A.M
17--overcast and drizzle; 50° high today
--cut wood in barn
--to Keene in P.M.
18--rained last night; overcast in A.M.; sunny and very windy in P.M.
--picked up sap and boiled today; yield: 1 gallon & 3 pints
19--25° last night and 50° today
--sap running
--M. to Boston for flower show
--stacked wood in barn
20--60° today; sunny and no wind
--boiled; total so far: 3-plus gallons of maple syrup
21--rain all day; 40°
--sap flowing, only slowly
--transplanted some cantaloupe and cauliflower
22--snow flurries last night; clearing today and 45° in P.M.
--sap didn't run
--replanted seedlings in barn
--ice off patio in P.M.
23--Sunday--bright, sunny and 60° high today
--to B.T. In A.M., very muddy
--no real sap run
24--60° today, sunny
--cleared out garden in front and on side of house
--tulip tops are up
--chimneys cleaned in P.M.
25--30° last night and 40° today; miserable day--snow, rain
--sap did not run
--transplanted tomatoes into one-gallon cans
26--30° last night and 50° today
--boiled today, but sap did not run
27--30° last night and 55° today; overcast
--no sap; got 3 quarts from sap in pan after 7 hours boiling on stove
--made 5 gallons this year so far; may be all we do!
28--30° last night and 60° today; sunny, but overcast in P.M.
--cleaned leaves from asparagus and grapes
--sap dripped a bit only
29--rained all day
--boycotted
30--Sunday--40-45° today, overcast and drizzle
--no sap
--replanted some cantaloupe
--to R.R. Salvage in P.M.
31--30° last night and 45° today, overcast, watery sun
--no real sap flow
--to B.T. In A.M.

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April
1--28° last night and 60°plus today
--sap ran, but not enough to boil
--lubricated machines
2--dreary day, misty and rainy: 35-45°
--nothing accomplished
3--beautiful day, 60°plus, sunny
--boiled today for last time
--season syrup total: about 7 1/2 gallons; poor quality
4--cold, rainy, 40°
--went to Hampshire Mall in A.M.
--gave D.T. the 'go-ahead' on woodshed and Sugar House
5--45-55°, sunny, windy
--took down Sugar House
--re-arranged lumber in barn
6--Sunday--beautiful day, and 65° in P.M.
--to B.T. In A.M.
--took out dead Balsams in Upper Mowing in P.M.
7--60-65°, sunny
--took down maple sugar firebox today
--took out sod from sugar house area, trimmed and rototilled the area
8--wet day
--transplanted some tomatoes
--cleared up lumber from Sugar House; all materials put away
9--wet day
--banjo clock to Keene in P.M.
--planted more cantaloupe seeds
10--rain, heavy last night
--washed windows downstairs in A.M.
11--sunny today, 60°plus
--put in side lawn
--cabbages into cold frames
12--40° in A.M. and 65° in P.M.; overcast, with sprinkles in P.M.
--limed, rototilled asparagus bed
--put down plastic on edges for cantaloupe
--cleared up blueberry bed, fertilized and put down sawdust
13--Sunday--B.T. in morning
--fertilized walnuts, grapes, fruit trees
--trimmed walnuts and fruit trees
--got bushes and onions from Hickings in P.M.
14--rain and drizzle all day, 50°
--put up blueberry frame and planted shrubs on side lawn
15--beautiful day, 70° and sunny
--planted 2 pears and 2 peach trees and transplanted 4 walnut trees to make room
--rinsed sap buckets and evaporator pan (which broke)
16--55° in A.M. and 30° in P.M.; rain and sleet in P.M.
--removed sod from blueberries behind the house; fertilized, pruned, covered area with peat moss
--three new blueberry bushes in garden
--D.T. started on milkhouse
17--30° last night and 55° today, breezy
--trimmed lawn
--downstairs curtains finished
--raked rocks from lawn by road
--pruned raspberries
--some progress (slow) on milkhouse
--raked leaves from bushes in front of wall
--fertilizer and lime on those lilacs; daffodills blooming
18--overcast, 40-55°
--moved wood up for Bob
--new battery for VW today
--helped with construction project in P.M.
19--beautiful day
--set up park
--did "dibs and dabs" in morning
20--Sunday--40° last night and 75° today, sunny, with sprinkles in P.M.
--put in peas in A.M.
21--beautiful day, 70°plus, cloudless
--planted sweet peas
--weedwacked the back hill; fussed with new construction
22--40°-50°, windy and cold
worked with D.T. on barn project all day, nearly completed
23--35°-40° last night and 60° today
--trip to Hanscomb for grocery shopping
--put platform ouside barn door in p.m.
--first asparagus spears show up!
24--beautiful day, 40°-65°. and sunny in p.m.
--limed and rototilled the garden across the road in the a.m.
--traded in old rototiller and bought small chainsaw, plus cash
--donated blood
25--overcast today, about 60°
--rototilled garden below house in a.m.
--put first wood under barn woodshed in p.m.
26--mixed sunny and overcast
--cut wood for stove in barn for next year
--tractor problems (battery probably)
--lots of daffodils blooming
27--Sunday--overcast and sprinkly
--stacked wood in a.m.
--peas are starting in garden
--first tulips
28--40°-50°, rain off and on all day
--stacked wood in barn woodshed all day, with a bit more to do
29--same weather as yesterday
--finished moving wood into barn woodshed
--cut wood for barn stove
--cleaned and re-arranged barn
--peas barely up
--tulips look ready, but no blooms yet
30--cold and overcast in a.m., sunny in p.m.
--further cleanup in barn
--got big saw sharpened
--got new bearing on tractor


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May
1--50°-60°, overcast today, with drizzle in a.m.
--cut off top of larger tomato plants in a.m.
--primed wood in sugar house
--put snowblower away for the year
--out, with the tractor, using space behind barn for logs from the woods
2--50°-75° today, sunny
--painted sugarhouse in a.m.
--planted caulifower, red and white cabbage, broccoli, and brussel sprouts seedlings in p.m.
3--75°, sunny and warm, with thunderstorm at 5p.m.
--stacked first wood by sugarhouse
--cut grass in walnut grove and outside in p.m.
--M. planted celery in cutting garden
--lots of asparagus
4--Sunday--70°, sunny and very windy
--painted sugarhouse woodshed in a.m. and cut grass on house side of road
--asparagus in good supply for dinner and freezer
--cabbages, etc. look good; peas and celery look good
--BT walk in p.m
--movies out tonight
5--40° or so, but cooler last night, and sunny & warm today
--put finishing coat on sugarhouse woodshed and finished moving all available wood to this woodshed
--gardens look good
--another apsaragus picking
--pruned raspberries
--to Washington tomorrow
6,7,8--in D.C.
9--home from D.C.
--things look great: peas, onions, grapes budding, tulips still look good, and asparagus still coming
--work on barn and sugarhouse finished
--corn crib and sugarhouse roofs are now painted
10--40° last night and 60° today, beautiful and windy
--cleaned up sugarhouse and around corn crib
--buckets, etc. in sugarhouse for next season
--transplanted lilacs in front lawn
--opened basement
--weed-whacked trees across the road
11--Sunday--45° last night and 60° today, overcast with drizzle in p.m.
--cut grass across road
--planted trumpet vines by sugarhouse
--oiled tractor
--M. planted cantaloupe and geraniums in starter trays
12--misty in a.m.; sunny, warm and muggy in p.m.
--brought down cut wood from up back
--cut grass on house side in p.m.
--new blade on mower; new filter on tractor
--C. to Acton
13--misty, hazy, and 60-70°
--cut wood under overhang in a.m.
--fussed in barn in p.m.
--M. planted flowers in cutting garden & around corn crib
--cut more asparagus; M's onions look good
14--overcast, misty, and 60-70° in a.m.; cooler as p.m. moved on
--opened up warm room; took down plastic, cleaned, etc.
--cantaloupe seedlings (such as they are) out for hardening
--cut some wood under woodshed; sanded blocks for C.
--rhubarb day; M. put up 10 pints from C.'s patch
15--sunny in a.m., 40° to 60°/65° at noon; overcast in p.m.
--cut and brought down 2 Jeep-loads of wood in a.m.
--planted a dozen celery seedlings (purchased) in p.m. in tubs in sugar house (enough light); tomato plants (still in cans) are getting blossoms
16--40° last night, 75° today
--trip to Stowe today
17--40° last night and 80° today
--moved C.'s furniture from Acton
--S.F.'s wedding in p.m.
--tulips over; another asparagus cutting
18--Sunday--light rain all day; 50° last night and 65° today
--finished moving C. from Acton today
19--overcast, muggy & buggy today; 50° last night, 70° today
--put tomatoes (about 50) in garden, and chard, beets, lettuce, kohlrabi, carrots & radishes
--furnace checked
--B.T. in p.m.
--cut more asparagus
20--clear, sunny: 75-80°
--C. to plane for Houston in early a.m.
--cut all grass around house & across road
21--rain in p.m.
--started cut in Upper Mowing; tractor broke (drive shaft?) (new tractor?)
--got perennials from Whetstone nursery
--cut more asparagus
--got some cantaloupe & zinnia seedlings
22--50° last night, 85° today; bright, sunny, muggy & buggy
--lilacs in bloom, flowering crab-apple coming into bloom
--most walnut trees sprouting; 2 peaches trees are still not budded
--cut wood under woodshed in a.m.; busted tractor picked up in p.m.
23--hot, 90°, sunny, some mug!
--cut wood up back in a.m.
--largest asparagus cutting yet
24--not so warm today
--wood up back in a.m.
--last picking of rhubarb
--planted cantaloupe seedling in asparagus bed
--B.T. in p.m.
25--Sunday--beautiful day, 75°, bright sun, windy
--weed-whacked as fertilized rhubarb
--brought wood down from back
--things look good
26--40° last night, 70° today, sunny, some wind; beautiful
--finished planting garden in a.m., except for peppers
27--45° last night; 70° breezy, beautiful
--cut grass with lawn mower in a.m.
--trimmed trees in walnut grove and beyond on hill
--started weed-whacking spruce below garden
--got new tractor in p.m.
--M. To Manchester to deliver pictures for C.
--good asparagus cutting
28--40° last night, 70° today, a super sunny day
--cut grass with new tractor--5 hours; then, 1 1/2 hours weed-whacking the grass between trees below garden
--everything looks good, but dry
--cantaloupe seedlings into peat pots
29--beautiful day, 75°, breezy, bright sun; very dry now!
--finished weed-whacking trees across road, started hand-trimming around trees across road
--picked C. Up in p.m.
--bought new car in a.m.
--stubbed toe going to bed
30--45° last night; 75deg;, sunny, then overcast, muggy; rain threatened but didn't deliver
--started putting metal on floor in sugar house in a.m.
--finished hand-trimming trees across road in p.m.
31--60°-70° today, overcast, some mug, no rain
--made and primed gate for asparagus bed
--finished putting metal on floor of sugar house

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For June through December click here.


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