September 26, 2026
Preparing for an Early-Season Nor’Easter
An early-season nor’easter is moving up the East Coast, bringing gusty winds and heavy rain from the Mid-Atlantic through New England.
Yesterday, my outdoor grounds crew worked tirelessly to prepare the farm for this weekend storm. They moved all my precious citrus trees indoors, stored any furniture that could potentially be blown over, secured doors and windows, and made sure all the animals were safe in their enclosures. Being well-prepared is crucial when a major storm is approaching. A few helpful precautions include having an ample supply of food and water on hand, making sure flashlights have fresh batteries, checking and replenishing the first-aid kit, and ensuring that all vehicles have plenty of fuel.
Here are some photos of the storm prep at Cantitoe Corners.
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- The day started with overcast skies and very little sunshine. Forecasts called for poor weather to start in the evening, but winds had already picked up by midday.
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- Flooding and high winds can cause damage to any property, so it’s always good, and smart, to be well-prepared for any inclement weather. Here is the path between two of my horse pastures with the great eastern white pines in the distance.
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- The crew began preparing early. All the cushions are removed from the poolside chaises longues and stored in my gym garage.
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- Chairs surrounding my long pavilion yew table are taken to my hay barn across the carriage road for storage. Decide what spaces can be used to store what items ahead of time, so there is less scrambling later.
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- In 2021, after a large yew tree was removed from my former East Hampton home, I decided to give the wood a second life by turning it into this large dining table for the pavilion. I designed it to be three tables connected as one.
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- Doing so made it easy to transport when needed. Here, Pete and Jimmy carry each table piece to its designated storage place.
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- I store the table in a glass room next door to my Equipment Barn. The tables are carefully placed in the room and then covered for the season.
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- The room can accommodate the three yew table pieces as well and the pool furniture.
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- Before being moved, the pool furniture head rests are tied down, so they don’t flap during transport, which could damage the wood.
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- And then one by one, Jimmy and Pete carry the furniture to their storage space in the glass room.
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- Down by my chicken coops, my citrus trees are displayed outdoors during summer. They remain in this gravel covered area until cooler weather arrives.
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- However, citrus trees are sensitive to frost and cold temperatures, so I asked that they be moved indoors temporarily until the storm is over. This also prevents any from falling and potentially losing fruits. Here’s Matthew moving one of my lemon trees indoors.
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- Here, all the citrus trees will be safe from dipping temperatures and strong winds.
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- Hay mangers, or hay feeders, are checked and placed in the pastures. These are designed to hold the hay so it is accessible to my horses but off the ground and protected from wet weather.
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- Meanwhile, back at my pool, Fernando closes and covers all the shade umbrellas so they are ready for storage.
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- He carries them one by one to the glass room keeping them all together, so they are easy to find and take out again next spring.
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- Take the time to store pieces carefully and properly to save them from damage.
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- Phurba helps by carting the heavy steel umbrella bases into the same area as the umbrellas.
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- Glass doors replace screen ones to keep heavy rain away.
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- The animals are all checked that they are safe in their enclosures. I think my geese are actually looking forward to the showers.
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- And all my horses, donkeys, and other pets are all in great care. The current nor’easter is expected to last through Sunday night and into Monday morning and finally weakening by Tuesday. I hope you are all safe where you are.
This story originally appeared on Martha Stewart Blog
