Cotton, Peanuts and Naked Ladies

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I gave a presentation in Suffolk, Virginia last Thursday, and found a short period of time to go scout the perimeter of the Great Dismal Swamp, one of the largest national wildlife refuges in the U.S.  On the way there, I saw fields of cotton, peanuts and soybeans.

I was surprised by the bare soil surrounding the cotton, which suggests high herbicide use.  I learned that cotton growers also employ an exfoliant toward the end of the growing season, and that enables easier collection of the cotton.

Cotton field near Suffolk, VA

I learned a lot about peanuts too, and have been thinking about how they'd do in the alluvial flood plain soil along the South Branch that is an unusual mix of sandy clay.  Most sources say sand is good, clay is not.  That sounds like an experiment to me.

The Swamp

Great Dismal Swamp boardwalk

I had very little time to explore the Great Dismal Swamp, so I stopped in the refuge office, got a bird list, and the staff there uniformly recommended a short loop trial that visits multiple habitats typical of the swamp.

Bike trail in the Great Dismal Swamp

When I asked  how to spend a few days visiting the swamp when I had more time, they also agreed that a mountain bike in April/May is best.  With over 100 miles of interior hiking/biking trails and very comfortable lodging in Virginia Beach, the Outer banks of North Carolina, or at the Hilton Garden Inn Riverfront in Suffolk, that sounded like a plan.


Read more about the Great Dismal Swamp here.


Naked Ladies


When I returned to Hampshire County I saw Naked Ladies everywhere.  Their scientific name is  Amaryllis belladonna, and they're native to South Africa.  I have a few dozen thanks to my neighbor Puddy in the city, who regularly rewards me with neighborliness when thinning her garden.

Amarylis surround my farm equipment.

Naked ladies are also known as Belledonna lilies, and they have been popular with gardeners since the late 1700's because of their habit of producing leaves in fall or wet springs, then remaining dormant until now and suddenly sprouting a single stem with an attractive flower.  I like them because they are toxic to deer and groundhogs.