Fertilizing snow

It is snowing here.

One of the locals tell me this is a good thing, because snow is “le fumier des pauvres” (poor man’s compost) and “full of nitrogen”. I was initially sceptical, but searching the web I’ve found a number of studies that confirm the surprising fertilizing value of snow.

Of course this same man told me in October that we were going to have a mild winter because the skin of his onions was so thin…. I didn’t ask how this fit with the 12” of snow outside.

Burning prunings

I’ve been busy in the vines of late. After the vines are pre-pruned the next task is to dispose of all the prunings. There are various options, but I burn them in this very high-tech incinerator/wheelbarrow…
Note the cunning reuse of old oil barrels… both for the body and the wheel!