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1980

Southern Vermont

Notes: a small farm-&-gardening diary

June through December

For January through May click here.

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June
1--Sunday--threatening in a.m., but no rain; beautiful in p.m., 75° & breezy
--finished paint on asparagus bed gate
--put up netting on garden blueberries
--to R.R. Salvage in a.m.
2--overcast & muggy all day, with brief shower in p.m., 75°
--put up gate for asparagus bed
--visit to Dr. For bursitis; haircut day
--beans and squash are up; blossoms on peas
3--rained today
--finished aluminum lining in sugar house
--made "carry bin" for new tractor
4--sunny and then overcast today, 75°
--took out rocks and stumps in Upper Mowing
--fertilized peas; thinned raspberries; planted final tomatoes across road
--everything up!
--M. cleaned new room today, all day
5--50° last night; 65-70°, breezy, sunny, beautiful
--cut wood up back in a.m.; BT in afternoon
--black cap blossoms appearing
6-- bright, sunny day: 70-75°
--cut wood in a.m.; planted beets, chard, broccoli & cauliflower (extra) in p.m.
--black cap blossoms aplenty
--raspberry blossoms forming, not blooming
--cut asparagus--70 spears--last cutting?
7--rain all day, 1/2 inch plus
8--Sunday--rain in a.m., mist, with total for the 2 days of 6/10 inch
--sunny, windy, 65° in p.m.
9--frost last night; some beans and cucumbers across the road burned slightly
--cool today, 55° tops; sunny, windy, with rain drops in p.m.
--cut Upper Mowing in a.m.; around house in p.m.
--last cutting of asparagus!
--fence around woodpile under the barn woodshed in a.m.
10--35° last night; sunny, overcast, some rain, then sunny, with top of 60°
--planted last cantaloupe seedlings
--fertilized asparagus
--cut grass across road
--noted that some walnut trees, beans, cucumbers & tomatoes touched by frost the past 2 (?) nights
11--light frost last night; white at 6 a.m. (on lawn and gardens across road), but no serious damage evident
--shopping in a.m.; BT and LBT in p.m.
12--40° last night; no freeze damage in gardens; sunny and 75° today
--got VW set for sale and Jeep fixed up to pick up N., etc.
--fertilized last row of peas, picked off sees on M.'s onions, weed-whacked, etc.
13--sunny, warm day, about 80°, breezy, humid
--worked in woods in a.m.; hammock, badminton set up in p.m.
14--sunny, 45° last night and 90° today, muggy
--get ready for N. Visit
--worked in woods in a.m.
--first strawberries today
--picked up N. In p.m.
15--Sunday--warm, muggy, with brief shower in p.m.
--pea pods forming
16-- 1 1/2 inches rain last night; 75° today, sunny
--group walked boundaries beyond B.T. In a.m.
--picked raspberries in p.m.
--garden looks good; could have cut more asparagus, but it is closed for season!
17--45° last night; 75° today, bright, sunny, light breeze, few bugs
--worked in woods with B. In a.m.
--started bridge across gully on road to maple grove
--brought down 5 Jeep-loads of wood in p.m.
--new car due Thursday
18--45° last night; beautiful day
--worked in woods in a.m. & p.m.
--walked back boundary
19--a weather repeat of yesterday
--finished bridge
--got new car in p.m.
20--rained all day
--tried bridge in a.m. and got Jeep into Maple Grove over "8th Wonder"
--but ruined new bridge over gully getting back down
21--65-70°, overcast, breezy today
--N. and group back to Houston
22-- Sunday--beautiful, sunny day
brought down wood from back, including broken bridge, in a.m.
picked spinach crop
23--85° today, sunny
--woods up back in a.m.
--fertilized cauliflower, cabbage, etc. in p.m.
--broke crust in both gardens
24--hot today and humid
--in woods up back in a.m.
--fertilized large tomatoes and M.'s onions in p.m.
--fertilized (spray) cantaloupe in evening
--picked first lettuce
--B.'s strawberries are done, with 20 qts in 2nd year
25--very hot and humid
--cut grass around house & across road today (6 hours)
--some peas about up; garden looks good
26--hot & humid again today
--in woods in a.m.; weed-whacked between trees across road in p.m.
--M. weeded flower gardens around house, cut off lilac blossoms
27--hot and humid again
--up in woods in a.m.
--M. and C. picked first peas; shelled in p.m.
--M. picked first white onions; shallots not ready
28--beautiful day, 70°+
--drove to Great Barrington
--did nothing around place
29--Sunday--60° all day and last night; overcast, rain began about 5 p.m.
--second picking of peas today
30--2 1/2 inches of rain last night; overcast, partly rainy today
--did nothing of note

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July
1--overcast/sunny today, 75° or so
--cut wood in back in a.m., a big ash
--cut grass in Upper Mowing in p.m.
--M. transplanted zinnias, cut grass on rock pile
2--overcast and then rainy
--worked in woods in a.m.
--stripped first peas in p.m.
3--warm & muggy
--split wood up back in a.m.
--stripped 2nd row of peas in p.m.
4--beautiful, warm day
--weeded asparagus bed and fertilized in AM
--took stoves out of barn
--stripped 3d row of peas in PM
5--warm and muggy today; a nothing sort of day; rain & drizzle at dusk
--brought down wood from up back
--C. froze first chard
--first sign of cauliflower blossoms
6--Sunday--beautiful day
--split wood up back in AM
--cut with lawnmower across road in PM
--to B.T after dinner, picked red and black raspberries and a few blueberries
--garden looks great
7--beautiful day
--cut lawn; planted cress in garden in PM
8--rained off and on, about 3/4 inch total
--worked in woods in AM
--picked last peas in PM
9--sunny and warm
--C. to hospital in AM
--brought down wood from in back in AM
--took down pea fences in PM; pruned some raspberries
10--beautiful day, somewhat muggy
--rototilled where peas had been
--C. back home in PM
11--warm & muggy
--rototilled old stawberry bed in AM
--first of Japanese beetles on grapes
12--cool and clear today, 70°-75°
--in woods in AM
--to LBT in PM; picked berries
--broccoli picked
13--Sunday--beautiful day
--picked first cabbage
--picked and froze 7 beautiful white cauliflower
14--beautiful day
--worked in woods in AM
--trimmed Xmas trees in PM
--transplanted gloriosas to front of house
--took bird netting off raspberries
15--hot and muggy
--brought down wood; trimmed Xmas trees
--froze 2d batch of cauliflower
--picked first beets for dinner
16--thunderstorm last night and at 11 am today; hot & muggy
--cut grass around house and across road today
--picked and froze last cauliflower (about)
17--ditto
18--cut grass in upper mowing; weed-wacked pine trees across road
--to BT and picked red and black raspberries in PM; not many blueberries
--froze swiss chard
19--steamy summer day
--limed and rototilled old strawberry bed
--M. made sauerkraut, about 7 1/2 gallons
--froze onions and shallots
20--Sunday--hot & muggy
--picked black raspberries in maple grove
--made 10 jars of jam and enough for a pie
21--hot & humid
--truck wouldn't start!
--picked black raspberries in maple grove, about the last of these berries
--pruned and thinned raspberries across road
--got first tomato
22--still hot & humid today; overcast, with rain due
--split wood under barn woodshed in AM
--cultivated in garden and trimmed grass from spruce across road in PM
23--rain overnight, about 1/3 inch; muggy in PM, but cooler and drying by dinnertime
--Hanscomb shopping today
--some fiddling in garden in PM
24--beautiful day: 80°, bright and clear
--in woods in AM
--froze broccoli; cauliflower for dinner; celery picked
25--beautiful day
--froze corn (first of season), I beans, wax beans, and beets
26--warm, muggy
--picked blueberries at Harlow's
27--Sunday--warm, muggy
--34th anniversary
--cut grass across road
--lunch on BT
28--weather same
--cut grass this side in AM
--picked green, yellow, and flat beans, and froze 25 qts!
29--75-80° plus rain
30--1/2 inch rain yeasterday, but nice day today; muggy in PM
--picked chard; 3d picking in garden below house and 2d picking across road
--picked more celery
31--beautiful day
--froze last of swiss chard and last I beans
--tomatoes not red; only tomatoes, beets, onion and lima beans due for freezer

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August
1--warm & humid
--worked in woods in AM
--first large, ripe tomato
--several large peppers
2--warm & muggy
--to Keene in AM
--froze corn
--to BT in PM
--black caps are rare this year
3--Sunday--another muggy day, overcast
--put up tire swing in AM
--to BT in PM
4--hot & muggy
--worked in woods in AM
--picked broccoli in PM
5--hot and muggy
--in woods in AM
--took cover off blueberries, weeded and fertilized too
--fertilized and cut down blueberries behind house
--thunderstorm at dusk bringing 6/10 inch rain in about 15 minutes
6--hot & humid again
--in woods in AM
7--hot but less humid; with bright sun
--cleaned garage in A.M.; cut up back in P.M.
--also trimmed and cut in walnut grove in P.M.
8--hot & very humid
--cut grass all day and weed-whacked
--froze beets, white onions & shallots
9--beautiful day but hot
--did nothing
10--Sunday--beautiful day, 75° tops
--BT in A.M., and to Marlboro concert in P.M.
11--quite warm
--M. made 11 qts. of cucumber pickles; lots of cucumbers in garden
12--rain, with clearing in P.M.
13--clear, sunny, and warm in P.M.
--J., C., P. arrived today
--tomatoes still have not turned red!
14--overcast, 80°, with rain at dusk
--in woods in A.M and P.M.
15--clearing in A.M.; 3/4 inch rain yesterday and last night
--cut grass up back in P.M., also trimmed across road and in walnut grove
16--50° last night and 65° high today, overcast and threatening
--cut grass all morning
--to LBT in jeep in P.M.
17--Sunday--48° last night; 71° today, beautiful
--picked last gherkins
--weeded garden
--picked green tomato drops for ripening under burlap
--to BT for lunch
18--48° last night, sunny today 70-75°
--in woods in A.M.
--tomatoes getting some color
19--overcast, drizzly
--nothing day, and so did nothing
20--overcast, muggy
--in woods in A.M., cut down big ash
--J. returned to S.D. in P.M.
21--overcast & cool today
--worked in woods in A.M. & P.M. on the ash
22--rain at dawn; overcast and cool
--picked tomatoes, making 2 gallons of juice
--worked in woods in A.M.
23--beautiful day, 60° last night and 75° today
--in woods in A.M. and to BT in P.M.
24--Sunday--another beautiful day
--in woods in A.M.
--picked dry beans (stripped plants) in P.M. 25--nice day, a bit humid, 8-°
--cleared up in garden across road most of the day
26--beautiful day, but humid
--took bean vines from lower garden
--froze some celery
--Bob got a lot of tomatoes
--F. to dentist in P.M.
27--overcast, very humid again
--in woods in A.M.
--cut grass with lawnmower in P.M., as tractor is still out of commission
28--overcast, cooler and not so humid
--froze corn and some apples for pie
--in woods in A.M.
--took a drive in P.M.
29--overcast, and 70° tops today
--picked tomatoes for juice, about 2 gallons worth,br>--cut grass across road and house all day
30--overcast and warm today
--trimmed and weed-wacked trees across road, this took all day
--lots of tomatoes
31--Sunday--overcast, warm, muggy, with sprinkles of rain
--weed-wacked in A.M.
--to RR Salvage in P.M.
--lots of tomatoes

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September
1--hot, muggy, overcast, with thunderstorm in P.M.
--to Lawton's auction in A.M.
--got peaches from Art in P.M.
2--ditto of yesterday, but worse, with big thunderstorm at dark and 1 1/4inches of rain, over 1 hour
--more tomatoes
--first cantaloupe
--to Hampshire Mall in P.M.
3--nice day, bright and sunny
--put new top on table in barn warm room
--trimmed grass across road and cut grass in walnut grove
--more tomato juice
--first ripe cantaloupe for breakfast
4--beautiful day
--cut grass around house, across road and in upper mowing--all day!
--anouther cantaloupe from cutting garden
5--rainy today
--greased and oiled tractor in A.M.
--cleared paths in upper mosing
--some work digging out stream in P.M.
6--beautiful day and not mggy
--worked in woods in A.M.
--more tomatoes in P.M.
7--Sunday--beautiful day
--stripped lima beans and cleaned up that part of the garden in A.M.
--BT for lunch
8--to be continued...
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For January through May click here.


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Page last modified April 10, 2009.