WINTER WEATHER ARRIVES AT STRATFORD

Winter weather began in earnest at Stratford Ecological Center on Liberty Road on Friday, January 12.  The temps dropped, the wind blew strongly, and there were heavy squalls of rain.  The wind had been strong all week, and every day the popular Sugar Shack and Creek Trails were inspected to spot any fallen trees.  Cold temperatures, occasionally in the single digits at night, continued the following week with a few snow showers.

The first casualty happened on January 12 around 3:30 pm.  A tree growing beside the driveway, a short distance west of the vernal pool boardwalk, fell across the lane.  It was fortunate for Wendell Patton, our vernal pool specialist, that he had parked his car right beside the boardwalk when he stopped shortly before to inspect the slowly-filling leaf-clogged vernal pool.  When he tried to leave, he found himself trapped, and raised the alarm.  Farmer Jeff and AmeriCorps interns Kiki and Alejandro quickly mustered out into the pouring rain.  Farmer Jeff set off in the bigger tractor, and the interns loaded the orange Kubota RTV with a chainsaw and followed him.  Thirty minutes later the lane was open!

The following day, January 13, 100 people participated in a 5K run around the fields and through the woods.  This is a popular annual event organized by the Columbus Running Company.  A second Run is planned for January 27.  Signs marking the trail were placed on Friday, and the route checked for hazards on Saturday.  The temperature was very similar to two years ago at 10 degrees with light snow on the ground.  All went well.

There has been debate about whether or not our two-year-old bull calf may have mated with our cows before he left for the processors in late June.   Our AmeriCorps intern Mariah discovered he had indeed, as she was throwing hay from the loft into the cattle pens on the morning of January 9.  It had been a windy night, and the animals sought shelter in the barn.  Alone in the pen nearest the barn door she saw a Devon/Holstein-cross with a very small udder, and close to her was a brown and white calf trying to balance on wobbly legs.  It turned out she had given birth alone, and the other cows respected her privacy and huddled in the adjoining pen.  The calf is a steer, and was named Benson after farmhand Mark’s grandson Ben, as it was his birthday.  Ironically, the same thing happened Friday morning, January 12, when a pure-bred Devon cow, who in the past has given us male calves, presented us with a daughter.  She struggled to suckle, and it took work to help her finally succeed.  Alejandro named her Bernadette.

The Garden Gang returned on January 2.  The big greenhouse vegetables were frozen and did not thaw in time to pick that day.  They have since recovered and any empty spaces enriched with compost and planted with greens.  On January 11, the bottom 6 inches of the greenhouse walls were lowered and secured in time for the colder weather.  If secured too early it becomes too warm in the greenhouse, the plants bolt and their sugars turn to starch, and they do not taste good!

The gardeners had the time on January 2 to prepare the layered heated trays, located beside the wall in the Education Room, in readiness to start seeds for spring planting.  Later they looked very happy as they sat close together around a table, covered with a mass of colored seed catalogues from Pinetree, Park, Baker Creek, Johnny’s, Total Tomatoes, Vermont Bean and Organic Grocery.  Everyone was in seventh heaven as they decided which vegetable and flower seeds they would purchase this year. The count totaled 85!  It sounds a lot, but there are many areas to plant including the greenhouses, the giving garden, the children’s garden, and various flower and herb beds around the Center.

The Maple Sugar tour guide training is planned for Saturday, February 3, and Wednesday, February 7, from 10-1pm.  Seasoned and new guides are invited to attend and can find details, and opportunities to guide through February, on our website.  Reservations can be made on the web for our public Maple Sugar Tours on Saturday, February 10 and 17, from 10-1pm, as well as our annual Maple Sugar Celebration on Saturday, February 24, from 10-2 pm.

Winter Farm School Fridays begin on February 2 and registration is open.  Summer farm camp registration opens February 5 at 9:00am and includes two new options for teenagers.

We hope you can visit on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-4 pm and Saturdays from 9-1pm and enjoy exploring the fields and woods.  The bare trees expose the landscape and even the occasional barred owl or hawk and offer excellent views of the bows in the stream, presently in full flood.

Pauline Scott is a farm and nature guide at Stratford Ecological Cener, 3083 Liberty Road, Delaware.  She can be reached at 740 363 2548 or by email at info@stratfordecologicalcenter.org  Stratford ‘s website is www.stratfordecologicalcenter.org.