It’s been a while since I’ve updated you on my donkeys, and I am happy to report - all five are doing very well.
Donkeys love being outside, where they can roam free and roll on the ground. And, while rolling on the ground helps to scratch their backs, it's also a natural behavior for donkeys to cover themselves in the dust, which provides great insulation and protection from extreme cold and heat. Here at my Bedford, New York farm, my donkeys, Rufus, Clive, Billie, Jude Junior, and Truman Junior, are outside during the day in a large paddock near my stable. In the afternoon, they are brought back in, where they are groomed and fed.
Here are some of the latest photos and a fun video, enjoy.
One nice thing about being home is that I get to spend more time with my pets – I just love their company. Here are my two youngest donkeys, Jude Junior and Truman Junior – affectionately named after my grandchildren. They joined my stable last May and are doing great.
These two are very bonded and are never far apart.
Fortunately, they get along with the “three amigos” just fine. Here are Clive, Billie and Rufus grazing on the other side of the same paddock.
Truman Junior is in the back. He is about four years old and a little taller than Jude Junior in the front. Jude Junior is about two years old. Male donkeys are called jacks and females are called jennets or jennies. Jude Junior is the second jenny to join my herd – Billie is also a female donkey.
These two are very healthy, and very friendly – they come right to the gate whenever someone stops to visit.
Jude Junior is always on the lookout for a treat or a pat on the head. She loves to visit with everyone at the farm.
Although donkeys are very conscious of safety in their surroundings, they are also quite curious. Here is Jude Junior trying to get up close to the camera.
Of course, Truman Junior is never far. Look closely, donkeys usually have a dark stripe of fur down their backs and across their shoulders and can be born with a wide range of colors.
Donkeys are happiest with plenty of space to roam around and graze, which they do for the majority of the day. The five are in their large paddock from morning until late afternoon when they are fed and put back into their stalls.
Here’s Rufus coming to say hello. Donkeys are very social animals.
Of the “three amigos”, Rufus is often the first to greet visitors who enter the enclosure.
And here is Clive – the tallest of the five, but very friendly. Do you know… a donkey is capable of hearing another donkey from up to 60 miles away in the proper conditions? They have a great sense of hearing, in part because of their large ears.
The donkey’s sense of smell is considered to be similar to the horse. Donkeys greet each other by smelling and blowing in each other’s nose. The smell of breath imparts important information to the donkey.
Donkeys are herd animals, so they don’t like being separated from other members of their pack – even to the watering station. I have automatic waterers in all the stalls and paddocks, so there is always water available.
Billie is wearing a fly mask, but she can still see very clearly.
By late afternoon, the donkeys are inside eating. Donkeys require a diet low in protein, sugar, and starch, but high in fiber.
The thing to remember, however, is that donkeys cannot be overfed. Eating too much protein and other nutrient-rich foods can make them sick. They also tend to gain weight very easily. I am very glad these donkeys are in excellent shape.
Donkeys are calm, intelligent, and have a natural inclination to like people. Donkeys show less obvious signs of fear than horses.
Clive, Rufus, and Billie share one large stall, while Jude Junior and Truman Junior share a stall next door. After being out all day, Dolma carefully goes over their coats with a metal curry comb. This helps pull dirt and dead hairs out of the coat. The short teeth help to loosen dirt and stimulate the skin to produce natural oils.
My donkeys are very familiar with their routine. Dolma stopped brushing for a quick snapshot.
And here they are all brushed out and ready for a little rest in the safety of their stall. Donkeys have a reputation for stubbornness but this is because of their highly developed sense of self-preservation. It’s difficult to force or frighten a donkey into doing something that’s contrary to its own best interest or safety.
It’s hard to resist a face as cute as Clive’s. See you soon, my donkeys. Below is a short video of Jude Junior and Truman Junior running around the paddock – I am glad they are happy here at Cantitoe Corners.
Our regular activities are limited, but there are plenty of spring cleaning tasks to tackle indoors - and, if you haven’t already, now is the best time to download the MarthaStewart.TV App for help.
My MarthaStewart.TV App now includes more than a thousand classic episodes - ideas, inspirations and how-to instructions for doing all those important jobs around the home. In addition to housekeeping and home-organizing tips, we’ve posted hundreds of hours of easy-to-do crafts projects, including boredom-busting ideas for children of all ages. Although large celebrations may not be possible at this time, we have lots of ideas for dyeing eggs, making greeting cards, and creating adorable and cheerful spring decorations. Plus, with April Fools' Day just around the corner, subscribers can watch a playlist of our best bloopers, funniest outtakes, and practical jokes.
Just download the App on your phone, tablet, or streaming device. You’ll find full episodes of "Martha Stewart Living", "The Martha Stewart Show", as well as one-hour holiday specials. And, sign up for a 14-day free trial of the MarthaStewart.TV App and then subscribe for 66-percent off the first six months. It's so easy to do - just click on any of the highlighted links. Enjoy these photos.
My mother’s recipes are some of our most popular – perfect for making in big batches to feed a hungry family, or to freeze portions and reheat later. The secret ingredient in this Macaroni and Cheese recipe – tomato paste.
Make the most of easy-to-find ingredients. Better still, this hearty one-pot beef and mushroom stew requires virtually no hands-on cooking.
I make time at home fun and worthwhile – from cupcakes to layer cakes, we have hundreds of delicious recipes and demos to demystify the science of baking.
One of our programs was devoted to Bundt cakes. A Bundt cake is one that’s baked in a special donut-shaped pan and inspired by a traditional European cake known as Gugelhupf. Whether you’re an amateur baker or pressed for time and ingredients, using a Bundt cake mold is the easiest way to transform a simple cake recipe into a showstopper.
In this segment, two of my little friends, and fellow Girl Scouts, helped me make chocolate chip cookies. The heavenly aroma of a batch of cookies baking in the oven is guaranteed to lift spirits.
One of my favorite indoor job activities – ironing! Even if this isn’t one of your favorite chores, now is an excellent time to tackle the pile. Watch the App for my tips on how to get the job done well and quickly.
When grocery stores are struggling to remain consistently stocked, I encourage everyone to organize the home pantry – discard expired foods, group like items, and arrange goods by size. Ideally, one should be able to easily see what’s on hand. Doing this will prevent overbuying and waste.
Does your home office or entertainment center look like this? Tame adapters, cords, and dongles with my useful tips.
As well as keeping our homes tidy and comfortable, we must also remember to take special care of the health and safety of our pets. Here, petkeeper, Marc Morrone, joins me on set with some of his furred and feathered friends.
If it’s safe to do so, try to get outdoors for some fresh air. Of course, always remember to maintain a proper distance from others – at least six feet.
Bring out the glue gun! From sewing simple café curtains to embellishing a store-bought planter, there are hundreds of crafty projects to spruce up your décor.
Knitting is not only for scarves. There are many accessories that can be knitted from yarn, including bags and purses.
April Fools’ Day offers the chance to summon your inner prankster and catch friends and family cautiously off-guard. I always enjoy a good laugh and have participated in many fun, harmless pranks over the years.
Looking for a kid-friendly indoor activity? Easy-to-make green slime is a long-lasting toy that pulls apart, stretches, and bounces.
These bright, intricately patterned eggs are ingeniously and sustainably created reusing scraps of silk ties and scarves. Just wrap in silk, boil, and unwrap for the big reveal.
Each of these beautiful eggs was dyed using common ingredients. Experiment with coffee, cabbage, turmeric, beets, blueberries, and so on, and watch your eggs transform.
Escape! You may not be able to hop on a plane right now, but you can experience far-flung destinations through my App. Our travel episodes – including a visit to the Yucatan, shown here – are available to watch!
After a day of cooking, crafting, organizing, and foolery, it’s time to relax. Watch more on the MarthaStewart.TV App. Sign up today and please stay safe.
During this time, if you can get out and enjoy nature while safely following important social-distancing guidelines, do - going outside, even for just a little while, helps reduce stress and improves the body’s natural immune system.
I am fortunate to be able to take walks around my Bedford, New York farm and see many of the season’s flowers - among them, the hellebores. Hellebores come in such an artful array of colors, markings, and formations, it’s hard not to love these fascinating perennials. I’ve had hellebores in my gardens for many years, and I find it so rewarding to have blooms that start in March, and continue through spring until the end of May - to me, hellebores are must-haves for any gardener's collection.
Here are some photos of the hellebores blooming at my farm now, enjoy.
Hellebores are members of the Eurasian genus Helleborus – about 20 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae. They blossom during late winter and early spring for up to three months.
Hellebores are widely grown for decorative purposes because they are easy-to-grow and are able to resist frost. It is common to plant them on slopes or in raised beds in order to see their flowers, which tend to nod.
These plants are best grown in organically rich, humusy, well-drained soils in part to full shade. I have gorgeous clumps growing in the shade gardens around my home.
The bright green foliage looks so dramatic against the colors of their blooms.
This hellebore flower is just about to open. Hellebore flowers come in pretty much any color from white and pink to green, apricot, and even deep purple, etc.
Unlike the blooms of most other flowering plants, hellebore flowers do not consist of petals, but of sepals, which serve to protect the flower.
Here, one can see the stamens and the carpels – the delicate parts shielded by the sepals.
Hellebores also come in many varieties, from veined or picotee, and single, anemone or double flowers.
This pink hellebore bloom has darker pink veining on the backs of its sepals.
The colors of the sepals and the petals within the flower attract the insects. Hellebore flowers are not choosy about their insects, so all types can pollinate the flowers effectively.
The sepals and veins on this hellebore are deeply colored to invite pollinators.
Hellebores benefit from a moderate amount of watering. They like to be watered deeply enough to saturate the root zone but then not watered again until the soil feels dry to the touch. These plants are drought tolerant but quite sensitive to soggy soil.
Here is another darker colored hellebore ready to bloom.
If adding hellebores to the garden, combine them with ferns, hostas or heuchera. Or use them as accents along pathways or borders.
Hellebores can reach up to 36 inches in height and width, so be sure to position hellebores in protected areas away from winter winds.
All parts of the hellebore plant are poisonous, including the seeds, so use caution when considering the planting location. One great advantage – hellebores are also deer and vole resistant.
Monthly feeding with an all-purpose fertilizer will encourage healthy, lush growth in hellebores.
This single flowering hellebore is deep purple in color with burgundy leaves.
‘HGC Pink Frost’ starts out as deep burgundy, but then opens to soft pink and ages to earthy shades of rose. Here, the flowers rise above the foliage and face outward.
Given the right conditions, hellebores will spread nicely in the garden and look beautiful through the season. What hellebores do you grow? Share them with me in the comments section below. Also let me know what else you’d like me to cover on my blog, especially during this time. And be sure to check out my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48 for more photos, tips, and inspirations. Wherever you live, I hope you are able to enjoy some of the colors of spring – stay safe.
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