It was a spectacular sunset last night. “Red in the morning, sailor's warning, red at night, sailor's delight.” However, today, Valentine's Day turned ugly, with high winds, rain and snow ...no delight. Usually, the weather signs are more accurate than million dollar radars but not this time. Course the million dollar radars and forecasts were way off base the other day. A half an inch of snow was predicted in the overnight hours, in the morning at daybreak there was better than six inches on the ground and a blizzard was raging....
Where's that groundhog?
Another Good Reason
Food prices are on the rise, according to many predictions, for example
this article and this
article . It's just another good reason to re-work, re-think or even plan a home vegetable garden this spring. A vegetable garden is going to save a lot of money, plus provide health benefits and good meals.
A good consideration is to also consider planting perennial crops which will continue to produce for years. Examples,
asparagus ,
blueberries and
rhubarb .
Considering the rising gasoline prices, the savings could be even more than expected. Yesterday, here in northwestern Pennsylvania, the price per gallon at every gas station was posted as $3.25 per gallon. I'd put money that the price will be even higher at week's end.
Many healthy foods can be planted early in the spring, such as lettuce and peas and some Cole crops like cabbage and broccoli. Seeds for peppers and tomatoes can be easily started indoors at home; there's no big mystery.
Many vegetables and herbs can also be successfully grown in containers. If a vegetable plot or container gardens are possible, consider buying from your local growers. It keeps the money in the local community. Just be sure to check, they are organic and don't use the harmful agrochemicals.
The recession is still here and prices are now rising, it's time to save some household money. For example, the price of a salad mix is between $2.00 and $2.50 (and will likely go higher).
An example: For $2.00, lettuce seeds can be purchased and with little effort a small patch of ground, or a container, can be prepared and within weeks, lettuce can be harvested, for much of the year.
Speaking of AgroChemicals
Many
beekeeping organizations are asking the EPA to ban the use of a pesticide called “clothindian” which also goes by the name of “Poncho”. This chemical is used to treat corn seed before it is planted to thwart the harmful root worm which will kill the corn.
This
chemical is manufactured by Bayer, a German company (of aspirin fame). Once it was used in Germany, beekeepers noticed a dramatic decline in bee populations. It was promptly banned. France, Italy and Slovenia quickly followed suit and banned “Poncho”.
Honeybees, as well as native bumblebees and other pollinators, pollinate many of our crops and are responsible for about a third of the food we eat. Equally important, these insects pollinate a number of wild food crops which are a food source for our native wildlife, birds, deer, squirrels, to name just a few.
There are simple actions we can all do to help which are more helpful than contacting legislators.
Plant native flowers and herbs.
The Northern Alligator aka the Wolf Fish
Learn more about this
fish, great fishing, good eating.
Snapping turtles, we all have a story about an encounter, see Myrtle, the
snapping turtle .
Anc
ient
Yarrow is a good herb to consider this spring.
Good Blogs to Consider :
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