The Outside Story

Our abnormally early spring caught many by surprise. Take, for instance, Gary Pelton, who manages natural resources for the Army Corps of Engineers at flood control dams on the upper…

Early May is a gut-wrenching time for those of us who love ash. The trees take their time leafing out, appearing stone-cold dead for weeks after the maples have flowered and put on their fine…

Spring wildflowers live hurried lives. They push out of the ground as soon as it begins to thaw, or soon afterwards, and then some of them disappear for the year – shrinking back into…

With April turning to May, Vermont and New Hampshire turtles are getting ready for the summer ahead as they begin to appear at the surface of ponds. After spending the long winter hibernating…

Charles Darwin was fascinated by earthworms. In the 19th century most people thought worms were pests. But Darwin believed they provided an important yet unrecognized agricultural service:…

For vegetable lovers in New Hampshire and Vermont, there’s a nightmare scenario making the rounds right now. It goes something like this. Last spring, somewhere in the twin states, someone…

Spring having arrived, people can expect to be jolted from their early morning sleep by an outrageous burst of hammering on the side of the house. Their rude awakening is not the work of some…

Early April is an unpredictable month in the North Country, a time for back-and-forth tag between the remnants of winter chill and spring warmth. Yet within the unpredictability there is…

Early spring in this part of the world is a rugged season, a time when snow banks crumble, back roads become mud holes, and steam begins to issue from sugarhouses. Mud and maple syrup go…

For some, spring begins with the flow of maple sap, or maybe the arrival of robins or redwing blackbirds. For inveterate gardeners the new season never really starts until the soil can be…

Winter’s effect on animals isn’t always noticeable. Often, it’s because they’ve flown south, are hibernating, or are hunkered down, having reduced their activity to cope with cold and…

Last month, while taking advantage of the open winter to cut brush around the edges of our pasture, I thought back to one of my favorite lectures in college. The professor was a Maine native…

Keeping chickens at the edge of a forest is always a gamble. Foxes, raccoons, skunks, weasels, fishers, and coyotes can sally forth at any time from the shadows of the woods in search of a…

Our brook in February is not yet in flood stage, nor is it in full throat, although now I can hear it from the house. If I could stir myself sufficiently, I’d approach the brook’s…

Each winter morning, like thousands of other New Englanders, my wife and I feed the birds before we feed ourselves. For us, it’s like a field trip around the property as we restock two…

Bacteria – and other micro-organisms – get a bad rap. All winter long, we wash our hands to keep them away. We sanitize our dishes in a dishwasher, our clothes in the washing…

Here’s an important point to make for those of you deeply concerned about climate change: We’re not going to solve the problem by promoting forest growth. It’s true that trees sequester…

Whenever a frigid overcast day comes along, I develop a powerful urge to return to bed for a spell. So does Monty, the cat, who after rising for breakfast and watching birds through a frosted…

Some time ago our neighbor called me over at dusk to observe a flying squirrel eating seed at his bird feeder. I had never encountered this animal and was most intrigued. Afterwards I said to…

Winter in Northern New England is challenging for birds that don’t migrate south. To survive, a bird must find adequate food, refuge from wind and cold, and protection from predators.…