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Field and Forest, by Richard Gast

Crocuses ring in the flower season

“Behold, my friends. The spring is come. The earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun. And we shall soon see the results of their love.” — Sitting Bull It snowed during the night. But the snow turned to rain early in the morning. And by the afternoon, the sun was shining, ...

The lilies of Easter

“Consider the lilies …” — Luke 12:27 Matthew 6:28. The Easter season is upon us. It’s a time of celebration, religious significance and the arrival of spring. It’s a time of resurrection, both of Jesus Christ and of the earth itself, the season of new beginnings. The Easter ...

Stoneflies are emerging: A sure sign of spring

While enjoying a very spring-like late winter afternoon beside the Trout River, at my home in northern Franklin County, I found myself greatly appreciating the sunshine and fascinated by the large number of black bugs that seemed to also be enjoying the sun’s long-awaited warmth. The ...

Maple syrup season is here

It’s early March, the time of year when local maple syrup producers across the North Country are busy tapping, or have finished tapping, literally hundreds of thousands of trees in anticipation of this year’s harvest. It’s time to reap the reward, to collect the sap and boil it down with ...

Support local small farm agriculture

Small farms. The name says it all. Modest. Practical. Connected to the Earth and the local population. Small farms were once the backbone of this country. Small-scale farmers grow a diversity of fresh produce, often using very few or no chemicals. They raise livestock, avoiding added ...

Birds are in crisis around the world. Here’s how you can help

North Americans share an amazing diversity of birds. More than 1,000 species can be found in the U.S. alone. They come in an astonishing variety of colors, shapes, sizes and behaviors. You could live a lifetime and never see every variety of bird that it’s possible to see in our state, or ...