It’s time to cut back the willows in the willow nursery.
Here’s a curly willow before pruning.
Here’s what it looks like after it’s pruned or “coppiced.”
I use the prunings to start more willows. I put 88 in the ground. They seem to grow by just sticking them into the ground – we experimented last year just sticking them in a low spot and they survived without weeding, or even mowing. So, I will move the patch down the lowland. If nothing else, the goats will love the browse.
The willows emerge from the winter slumber.
We recently brought some in the house and they make a nice spring reminder.
They also provide some of the first pollen of the year for the bees to forage.
Martin and GJ brought their beekeeping show on the road this Sunday. They brought some of the equipment to Martin’s Sunday School class and did a beekeeping demo.
Here the kids keep clear as they are not convinced that the beehive is truly free of bees while Martin and GJ have their suits on to open the hive.
Is this it? The last snow of the year?
April is nigh – there can’t be too many more snowfalls in between now and real spring.
Emma took her permit test this week and passed the first try!
Now she can drive with a parent in the car. Now we have two teen-age drivers!