Adirondack LettersNo.5: A Mowing Story. Hints of Balsam and Pine: Nature Reflections in a minor key from our quiet corner of the Adirondacks. For Fourpeaks Guests and anyone who ever dreamed about a wilderness getaway. CLICK & GO! (On this page.) Adirondack Letter No.5A: "A Mowing Story, October 2004." Adirondack Letter No.5: "A Mowing Story, December 2000." More stuff in An Adirondack Miscellany. (On the next page.) List and Links to all the Adirondack Letters in this series. 
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to get on our mailing listAnd receive occasional Adirondack Letters like this. "A Mowing Story" Adirondack Letter No.5A Subject: "A Mowing Story." Adirondack Letter No.5 Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 17:51:32 From: < YourAdirondackGuide@4peaks.com > To: < youremailname@youremail.address > To: Fourpeaks Visitors At: < youremailname@youremail.address > Dear Fourpeaks Visitor, Subject: A Mowing Story Our mountain land is dotted with pretty fields and meadows--islands of light in a sea of black branches and green shade. These are ancient homesites where the soil offered resistance over the years to the encroaching forest when the places were abandoned. Standing inside one of them we get an idea of what it must have been like for the early pioneers to carve a home out of wilderness. By the time we got here in '68 the edges were fast growing in. We hired a helper and set to work with chain saws, a chipper and a full size farm tractor with a heavy duty rotary mover. Each field was defined by the age and type of woody plants that had moved in and by the stone fences and sharp till lines that marked the edge of cultivation. By the early 70's Halsey Straight, the Perkins farm, Hamilton and the other early homesites (seven in all) were restored to their original size and aspect. We cleaned the stone cellars and stabilized the hand-dug wells. Later we added some far fields and logging headers to the list of open places and named them High Meadow, Partridge and Second Drive. Today our place is a natural garden. Oversize perhaps (700 acres in all), but filled with interesting plants and other living things. Woods roads and hiking trails are our garden paths (20 miles of them with over a hundred beauty spots). The homesites and adjacent fields we've kept open over the years are the focal points--Williams, Bowton, Perkins and the others. Late October--when the wildflowers are done and the last of the asters, goldenrod and milkweed have gone to powder and seed--it's time to mow. Like any garden it takes work to keep up. The best days are mowing days, good sun and a clear sky. Two turns around the edge to start. Overhanging branches that spoil the line must be cut by hand. Deadfall is pushed back beyond the line or crushed under the heavy blades. The mowing pattern is set for the longest straight run and the least unproductive travel. The field's shape and grade determines what's possible. The mowed strips are about 30 feet wide--5 or 6 passes with my 6 foot mower. It takes a good eye to keep the rows straight. The slow movement of the machine allows for a close observation of natural things. Plant types, their concentration and vigor, as they vary with the soil, exposure and the amount of rain. The rocks and old stumps to be avoided in the back fields. Field mice that run from the noise of the machine, bringing always to mind the lines of Burns. The familiar shapes of Basset, Wainwright and Clements. Sun, moon and clouds. Small yellow and white butterflies that dart between the withered stalks and dried pods. The last of it got done just a few days ago. I went with Becky to Camp Rock and we enjoyed the view to the East and the manicured look of the fields, the even rows. First frost yesterday but crocus, daffodil and the few exotic bulbs she put in for next Spring are well underground. I made room in the North Shed and Willy put away the Case--a tight maneuver I can't manage myself. Today, it's weather for a good woodfire indoors. Thanks for reading this. If you've ever been a guest here, CLICK http://4peaks.com/fgift.htm for an attractive offer to revisit our new-mown fields with mountain views. If you've never been, check the up-to-date Fall and Winter Availability Calendars at http://4peaks.com/femail0.htm and make some time. There's a lovely quiet season coming up. Till then please visit On-Line: http://4peaks.com/ "Explore our 700-acre rest and play-ground." http://4peaks.com/fcamp.htm Backcountry Camps in a Hidden Valley. http://4peaks.com/foamen.htm "Luxury Camping" http://4peaks.com/fotrails.htm Walks with views & Beauty spots. http://4peaks.com/fgstbndx.htm "Meet our guests!" Your Adirondack Guide, Martin P.S. If you liked this letter, save it for the links, and tell a friend! If you didn't like it, please send it back with "REMOVE" as the subject. Thanks. Member Whiteface Mountain Visitors Bureau Member Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau ****************************************************************** This is #5 of a really occasional letter, "Hints of Balsam and Pine from our Corner of the Adirondacks," for Fourpeaks guests or anyone who ever inquired about a Fourpeaks Backcountry Getaway. To see them all CLICK http://4peaks.com/fkhint.htm To get off our list send this letter back (reply) with "REMOVE" as the subject. ****************************************************************** "A Mowing Story" Adirondack Letter No.5 Subject: "A Mowing Story." Adirondack Letter No.5 Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2000 14:20:54 From: < YourAdirondackGuide@4peaks.com > To: < youremailname@youremail.address > To: Fourpeaks Visitors At: < youremailname@youremail.address > Dear Fourpeaks Visitor, Our mountain land is dotted with pretty fields and meadows--islands of light in a sea of black branches and green shade. These are ancient homesites where the soil offered resistance over the years to the encroaching forest when the places were abandoned. Standing inside one of them we get an idea of what it must have been like for the early pioneers to carve a home out of wilderness. By the time we got here in '68 the edges were fast growing in. We hired a helper and set to work with chain saws, a chipper and a full size farm tractor with a heavy duty rotary mover. Each field was defined by the age and type of woody plants that had moved in and by the stone fences and sharp till lines that marked the edge of cultivation. By the early 70's Halsey Straight, the Perkins farm, Hamilton and the other early homesites (seven in all) were restored to their original size and aspect. We cleaned the stone cellars and stabilized the hand-dug wells. Later we added some far fields and logging headers to the list of open places and named them High Meadow, Partridge and Second Drive. Today our place is a natural garden. Oversize perhaps (700 acres in all), but filled with interesting plants and other living things. Jeep roads and hiking trails are our garden paths (20 miles of them with over a hundred beauty spots). The homesites and adjacent fields we've kept open over the years are the focal points--Williams, Bowton, Perkins and the others. Late October--when the wildflowers are done and the last of the asters, goldenrod and milkweed have gone to powder and seed--it's time to mow. Like any garden it takes work to keep up. The best days are mowing days, good sun and a clear sky. Two turns around the edge to start. Overhanging branches that spoil the line must be cut by hand. Deadfall is pushed back beyond the line or crushed under the heavy blades. The mowing pattern is set for the longest straight run and the least unproductive travel. The field's shape and grade determines what's possible. The mowed strips are about 30 feet wide--5 or 6 passes with my 6 foot mower. It takes a good eye to keep the rows straight. The slow movement of the machine allows for a close observations of natural things. Plant types, their concentration and vigor, as they vary with the soil, exposure and the amount of rain. The rocks and old stumps to be avoided in the back fields. Field mice that run from the noise of the machine, bringing always to mind the lines of Burns. The familiar shapes of Basset, Wainwright and Clements. Sun, moon and clouds. Small yellow and white butterflies that dart between the withered stalks and dried pods. The last of it got done just a few days ago. Louise and I walked to Camp Rock and enjoyed the view to the East and the manicured look of the fields, the even rows. Two inches of snow yesterday. Willy and I made room in the Camp Barn and put away both tractors along with the CJ2 and the International. Today, it's ten below. Thanks for reading this. If you've ever been a guest with us, go to http://4peaks.com/fgift.htm to learn about our midweek specials and free upgrades. Come see us again. If you've never been--think about it. There's a lovely quiet season coming up. And please visit us On-Line: http://4peaks.com/ "A 700-acre private rest and play-ground." http://4peaks.com/fcamp.htm Pretty Camps in a Hidden Valley. http://4peaks.com/fotrails.htm Walks with views & Beauty spots. http://4peaks.com/fgstbndx.htm Photo Guest Book--What they said. Your Adirondack Host, Martin Schwalbaum P.S. If you liked this Letter, CLICK HERE to Tell a Friend! If you didn't like it please reply to this with "REMOVE" in the subject heading. Thanks. Member Whiteface Mountain Visitors Bureau Member North Country Chamber of Commerce 518-563-1000 ************************************************************* This is No.5 of a really occasional Letter, "Hints of Balsam and Pine from our Corner of the Adirondacks," for Fourpeaks guests or anyone who ever inquired about a Fourpeaks Vacation/Getaway. To get off this list reply with "REMOVE" in the subject heading. *************************************************************
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to get on our mailing listAnd receive occasional Adirondack Letters like this.  An Adirondack Miscellany Newspaper and Magazine articles, Books and lots more. January 1998 Ice storm of the Century Devastates Northcountry. May 1998 Town of Jay Happy 200th Birthday Party at the 1829 Southmayd Stone House June 1998 Natives and Outsiders at the Jay Old Covered Bridge. July 1777 Jane McCrae Murdered by Indians in Ft. Edward NY Adirondack Great Camps: Adventures in the Wilderness. Miss P, the famous www.Internet web purrcat, interviews Tramp, our Fourpeaks barking cocker. Ironman USA comes to Fourpeaks. Chickadees In Winter Flying Critters on your Adirondack Vacation. Adirondack Letters: "Hints of Balsam and Pine from our corner of the Adirondacks." AuSable River Swimming: Where the Pools Are Never Crowded, And Water Slides Are Nature's Own (New York Times) A new novel about Fourpeaks: Moss Krupnick's Daughters of Utopia, 196 pages, $9.98 For your Adirondack experience--"Stay Awhile In Style!" Plattsburgh-Republican November 2002. NATURE WITHIN REACH: Luxury Camping. (July 2004, Southwest Airlines SPIRIT (In-flight Magazine.) Annual Jay Yard Sale. (First Sale August 19, 2006.) Glamping. (Glamorous Camping.) (Jan-Feb, Nov-Dec 2008, Women's Adventure Magazine.) .  Are you in this picture? Fourpeaks hosts now welcome paying guests to a 700-acre rest and playground for vacations in the Adirondack Great Camp tradition. Couples appreciate Fourpeaks secluded settings. Outdoor loving families have fun exploring our accessible wilderness. Folks with dogs enjoy the open spaces to run their pets. A private nature rereat. For a vacation away from it all. Are you in this picture? CLICK HERE to find out! [More about this at Frequently Asked Questions.]  Inquire about a Fourpeaks Adirondack Vacation/Getaway. (Easy Inquiry Form.)
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