Week of May 19

The second week of May is the time that SPRING BREAKS OUT at TAProots farm in the Finger Lakes.  It is not only planting time, but also time for baby bluebirds and tree swallows in the birdhouses and baby foxes under the deck of the barn.  There are flowers everywhere, including trillium, redbud, and dogwood around the lakehouse, lilacs and a wall of forsythia next to the barn, and crabapple trees lining the drive.  Of particular interest are the blooms on the fruit trees.  A couple of varieties of plums and an apricot are the earliest.  Next were the peaches with their orange-pink blossoms and the nectarines with their rose-colored blooms.  A particularly beautiful vision was bright yellow-orange papa oriole spending much time and effort feeding in the rose-pink flowers of the nectarine trees.  Next come the white blossoms of the pear trees, and finally the light pink flowers of the apple trees.  There was no late frost this year and lots of light rain, looking good for a high rate of pollination and fruit setting.  It is always gratifying to see everything has survived the harsh winter and is ready to contribute to the bounty of TAProots Farm.