Lehman’s Country Life

I have rewritten this entry for my Lehman’s friends several times, never quite feeling as though I can convey what a mixture of emotion this Spring brings with it.  On the one hand, there is the purely joyful and timely:  the beginning of March, marked by the lionine ferocity of a major snow storm, Bluebirds waiting each morning for their ration of mealworms to make up for a food supply that is either blanketed in white or frozen solid; (as I write, one of those selfsame little balls of color sits at the corner of a back porch roof gable, enjoying the last warmth of a setting sun); the landscape tub by the front steps, cleaned of the remnants of last year’s tomato vine, revealing emerging tips of tulips I had forgotten were tucked into the soil at Summer’s end; the countdown on my calendar to a solid week I will take as vacation time to perform that age-old tradition, Spring Cleaning.
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It’s time to prune your fruit trees again, if you want large and healthy fruit. In fact, time is already running out if you live in planting zones numbered six or above.

Here’s some tips:

- Start by cutting off every branch that grows straight up. They seldom bear fruit.
- Now that you can see into the overall health of the tree, remove anything that shows signs of disease, missing bark or is dead.
- Next, remove every branch that grows toward the center of the tree.
- Finally, remove any branches that are left that cross the path of another branch.

I grow dwarf trees. I intend to pick without a ladder, so I remove every branch whose tip I can’t reach.

On my more mature trees, I remove every branch within a foot or two of the center of the tree. This allows lots of sun into the center of the tree.

How to cut? First, use a good pruner with sharp cutting edges. Cut about 1/4″ above bud points or close to the trunk. Always cut at an angle.

A well pruned tree will always bear fruit. I inherited my love of fruit trees from my Dad, who got it from his Dad. Grandpa’s pruning advice was simple. Prune until you think you’re going to kill the tree. Then, prune some more.

Like shedding the bad habits of life, it’s not always easy. But, ending a bad always makes us a better person.

Pictured with me in the photo is my trusty garden cart. I’ve owned that cart for over 20 years. I’ve hauled firewood through a foot of snow. Moved fill dirt from one side of my lot to the other. Carried tons of manure out of the barn with very little effort. I did all these things without starting the tractor or breaking my back. It’s a great piece of equipment I heartily recommend for any size lot! Click here for more information.

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Tune in to Cleveland’s Fox 8 on Friday, March 27, at 10 am for That’s Life with Robin Swoboda.  Robin and crew spent a day at Lehman’s, learning everything you wanted to know (but were afraid to ask) about gardening.  Titled “From Plant to Plate,” the segment features the Lehman family and employees and local organic gardener Karen Gesier, as well as a store tour.  Robin’s show is always entertaining and educational — don’t miss it!

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Late winter is usually  a time when I gaze around the rooms of my home and notice how DUSTY everything has gotten. It’s been several weeks since the Christmas decorations were put away, and the obligatory cleaning done after. Although I dutifully clean the house each week (did I say week? I meant, er, month), it seems the dust piles up so quickly this time of year, when everyone is cooped up inside, the windows can’t be opened due to the cold and the pale winter sun shines in at odd angles, making tiny dust particles dance in the light whenever something is moved.
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It was a couple of years ago that Euell Gibbons got me all fired up about making my own maple syrup. It was late winter then and I was not prepared for my venture into syrup making at that point. But the following year I was ready. And I was fortunate enough to get me some of that sweet, golden nectar.

Yes indeed, there was some work involved, but the results far outweigh the effort. I was in it not to sell bottles of syrup, but to just make enough for my family and even a few friends to try.

With just a few maple trees (we will discuss species later), you too can have your own sugary sweetness. It doesn’t take a lot of fancy equipment; in fact, about the most expensive thing you will need is time.
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Over the past year Tony and I took a hard look at our garbage – how much we make, how we get rid of it and how could we reduce it.

In Ireland there are no property taxes. But you do pay for services like refuse collection and you have control over how much you compost, burn on the home hearth, recycle at the ‘Bring Centre’ (glass, plastic bottles and aluminium drink cans).

We buy refuse bags (five for €25) at our local supermarket issued by Cavan County Council that holds about 40 kilos. A household of two living conscientiously can reduce a lot of waste. Actually, most of ours is cat litter because I have not been totally successful in creating a cat litter composting area.
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This morning I made one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had!

For years, I’ve been hearing that French Presses make great coffee. And, we’ve carried one in our catalog for a long time. It’s the typical kind you see in many gourmet stores: A glass decanter with a metal plunger.

Our catalog description says, “Pour in boiling water and replace lid with plunger all the way up. Let steep for 3-5 minutes, depress plunger to trap grounds on bottom, and pour out the flavor.” Although I personally buy and use most of the items we sell, I never tried this one. My friend Jason Nussbaum, who runs our retail stores, makes coffee in one every morning and loves it. But, I just didn’t think I could wait 3-5 minutes for a cup of coffee!

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Let’s be realistic. No matter how eco-conscious we are there is no way around the season where it is better to give than receive. We may have all been taught that it is the thought that counts, but we are not immune to those cultural pressures that say that presentation is all that matters. There are ways though where we can beat the super consumers at their own game and get kudos for creativity.

There are lots of ways to minimize waste and still present gifts that show care, attention and a sense of occasion. It takes a bit of time and ingenuity but it is all fun stuff and very low tech. Here are some of my tried and tested eco-Christmas stratagems.
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This morning, I went out early before work and cut down a tree. No roaring, smoke belching chainsaw. Just me and my axe.

I figured for one tree, I could use the axe and be done in about the same time it would take to start the chainsaw. What I found out is that there is a lot more pleasure to using an axe!

Instead of wearing ear plugs, I got to enjoy the steady “crack – thwack” of the axe punctuating the snowy silence. Instead of oily saw dust spraying back into my boots, I had the pleasure of watching chunks of wood fly off to my left. I made a game of trying to see how big I could make them. I reveled in what became a game of skill, rather than merely enduring the blast of noise and smoke that goes with using a chain saw.

And as the tree finally began to crack and tip, I got to enjoy the thrill of hearing the wood splinter. I felt like I accomplished something worthwhile…it was just plain more fulfilling than using a chainsaw.

Best of all, the morning exercise was much more invigorating than my usual cup of coffee!

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In today’s fast moving world of blogs, cell phones, and CNN, you may be wondering how we find the thousands of old-fashioned products that pepper our site, catalog and retail store. Who hand dips candles and weaves picnic baskets? Where can you find someone to create custom wrought iron, or make furniture out of old church pews?

And thus begins a series where I introduce you to a selection of our favorite vendors.

Scents of the Season:

I was in Lehman’s the other day, watching customers react to a lovely display of Lehman’s jelly jar candles. With fragrances like mulled cider, pure vanilla, and pine needle, each customer was first drawn to the attractive packaging (an authentic Ball jelly jar with a color-coordinated label), and then to the scent. Without fail, customers would take off the lid and sniff the candle, not once but twice, before repeating the process with another candle. Then, and only then, could the decision to purchase be made.

“Not all candles are created equally,” explains our favorite local chandler, who created this line for Lehman’s. “You might think it just takes some wax and a wick, but there is much more to it. There are specific characteristics of waxes, wicks, scents and colors. A chandler needs to know the science behind the materials.”
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