All Things Must End

Calving, Rustlers, Fences and Faith

Another Year Without a Summer?

In June and July, temperatures throughout the United States and in portions of Canada were cooler than normal; in July, the cooler temps were concentrated in the central and eastern portions of the continent. (New York City experienced its fourth coolest July on record.)

In her August 2009 newsletter, Evelyn Browning-Garriss, climatologist and occasional contributor to the Almanac, explains why:

Volcanic ash.

Several volcanoes have been very active. Mt. Sheveluch on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula has had a series of explosions since February 2009. Alaska's Mt Redoubt erupted on March 22, 2009 Sarychev Peak on Russia's Matua Island erupted June 11 to 18, 2009.

When volcanoes explode, huge amounts of ash and chemicals rise into the atmosphere. Debris from Mt. Redoubt and Sarychev Peak reached as high as 13 above sea level. The ash mixes with other chemicals and aerosols. These attach to water vapor, creating clouds, which drift on upper levels winds, sometimes for years.

Those clouds screen out sunlight, and eventually the ash, heavy with moisture, rains out, often far from the site of the volcano.

Currently, as Evelyn explains: "The 'polar vortex,' a massive swirl of unusually cold air which should be swirling over the Arctic Circle, has been displaced 500 miles farther south than usual. This forced the jet stream (and subsequent cool fronts) to detour farther south, pushing a family of cool fronts across Canada and the northern tier of U.S. states."

As cold fronts slam against warm air from the unusually warm Atlantic Ocean, storms develop and rain falls.

One notable benefit from the ash, according to Evelyn are spectacular purple sunsets.

In a way, 2009 has been like 1816, "the year without a summer," when snow flurries and killing frost affected the northeastern United States and Canada in June, July, and August--all as a result of ash from the eruption of the volcano Tambora in Indonesia the preceding year.

Knowing that, this year doesn't seem so bad now, does it?

Berry-Picking

Have you been berry-picking this season? I'd forgotten how enjoyable it is!

The bushes in our New Hampshire hills are loaded with blueberries.

The nice thing about blueberries is that they're incredibly easy to pick--and pop in your mouth--even for my 3-year-old. Just as in the classic children's story "Blueberries for Sal," the berries would go "plunk" in his little tin pail because he never let the bottom fill up!

Berry-picking is just a very relaxing, almost therapeutic, experience. I can't wait to go again with family and friends. There are many varieties of blueberries, meaning that some are always ripening throughout the season.

With my picked berries, I made a "fresh" blueberry pie that kept that juicy flavor without getting syrupy. 1. Just bake a 9-inch pastry shell. 2. Pour a pint of blueberries into the shell. 3. Combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon each of flour, lemon juice, and butter. 4. Add a pint of blueberries to the mix and bring it all to a boil over medium heat. 5. Pour the mix over the fresh berries and chill in the fridge. Serve with whipped cream.

I still have 2 pints of blueberries left. We have an impressive number of free blueberry recipes in the Almanac Recipe Archives (80 recipes!). It will be fun exploring.

Have you been berry-picking this summer? Please share your stories. What types of berries have you picked? Where did you pick? What did you make with the berries (or, did you simply eat them fresh)?

(To blog, just comment in box below and click "submit comment.")

What's Up in Space?

Have you been "watching" the skies?

Last week, there were several spectacular sky events! I've posted some highlights:

JUPITER IMPACT

On July 19, amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley from Australia discovered an "impact scar" on Jupiter.

A 100-mile-class comet or asteroid collided with our giant gaseous solar system neighbor--and disintegrated.

Here is Mr. Wesley's fascinating blog (and photos) documenting his discovery.

The implication of this impact mark really hit home for me when I read what Mr. Wesley had to say in a newspaper interview:

"If anything like that had hit the Earth, it would have been curtains for us, so we can feel very happy that Jupiter is doing its vacuum-cleaning job and hoovering up all these large pieces before they come for us."

Wow! Perhaps Jupiter is well named; Juno, an ancient Roman goddess, was known as a protector of the state and often dressed in warlike attire.

On the right, a picture from the Hubble Space Telescope shows the atmospheric debris from the comet or asteroid that hit Jupiter.

As of July 24, an impact "cloud" from the site has spread out tens of thousands of times wider than the comet or asteroid that created it.

If you have a backyard telescope, the cloud makes it even easier to see the impact site--as well as Jupiter's four Moons and banded clouds!

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

Indeed, the total solar eclipse of the 21st century was a record blackout. It began on July 22 in India and swept across China.

I have to share this amazing video from National Geographic that shows millions of people in India gathering to observe, celebrate, and pray to the Sun.

The report states that some people in India were quite fearful due to myths and lore about eclipses; one saying is that the Sun goes dark because it's devoured by a dragon-demon. (If you're interested in myths about eclipses, you should check out our new edition of The Old Farmer's Almanac for Kids in the Web shop.)

Scientists enjoyed a special opportunity to study the Sun's bright corona (outer layer); early reports indicate that it's even cooler than last year. Why should this matter? Those who study solar science, including the Almanac, believe that a cool or inactive Sun could affect long-range weather on Earth, among other factors.

Did you "watch" the skies--either in person, online, or on TV? Tell us what you think about these events in space. Just "submit comment" below.

How Is Your Garden Growing?

How is your garden growing? I thought that I'd share my progress--and would love to hear yours.

At the end of March, I blogged about starting my first organic vegetable garden. Today, my family and I harvested the lettuce--and made our first salad! My 3-year-old son even ate the lettuce that he helped grow--a first for him.

I wasn't sure that my first organic garden would survive without pesticides. I attribute any success to the preparation of the soil--and the reliance on a high-quality compost up front to feed the plants the nutrients they needed. I also planted the veggies in a new raised bed.

We will see if we have the same success with the rest of our veggies--we planted carrots, beans, broccoli, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, and beets. The rain has helped the garden grow beautifully, but it's now been raining for a month! I know that our local farmers have experienced much rotting of eggplants, summer squash, peppers, and more.

The rain has also brought out the slugs and pests. I did run down to our local nursery to purchase an organic soap spray and slug pellets! Otherwise, I just weed once a week.

So, share how your garden is growing below. I'd love to hear about your successes, failures, learnings, and tips. (You can also join our Gardening Discussion Forum to share tips, ask questions, and just chat with like-minded souls!)

Snapper Snapshot

I recently saw a rare sight--at least for me. It was a snapping turtle laying her eggs in the sandy area of a meadow (a photo is shown here). There are four subspecies of common snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina); one subspecies lives in Florida and two others live in Latin America. The one I saw was most likely a northern snapping turtle, which is found in the northern United States and southern Canada. Her shell was a foot or so long, and the hind end of her relatively smooth, dull, gray-green shell had scalloped edges. She also had a long tail.

Mrs. Snapper was quite a ways up a steep slope from a burbling brook. When they hatch, her babies will have quite a hike to get to the water! But, it is not uncommon for a nest to be so far, sometimes miles away from water. A typical clutch contains about 25 eggs, each 1 inch in diameter. The eggs often hatch in about 80 or so days.

A common snapping turtle can be feisty if it feels threatened. This turtle can't hide in its shell because it won't fit. But it has an excellent defense: It can quickly move its head to bite with powerful jaws. A snapper can even stretch its neck more than halfway over its back to reach a foe. A large adult snapping turtle is strong enough to bite through a person's finger. This animal definitely deserves respect! But just give it room, and it won't feel that it has to defend itself.

Snapping turtles commonly live in ponds, streams, shallow lakes, slow-moving rivers, and occasionally in brackish areas. They are great swimmers but older ones prefer to lie in wait for their food on muddy bottoms. Prey includes frogs, fish, toads, snails, insects, small birds, and snakes, as well as carrion and plants. In the wild, common snapping turtles live about 30 years and can weigh as much as 30 or so pounds.

The largest freshwater turtle in North America is actually another genus, Macrochelys temminckii, called the alligator snapping turtle. It is found mainly in the southern United States--a truly prehistoric-looking creature with three main ridges on its shell. One alligator snapping turtle weighed in at a record-breaking 236 pounds!

Do you have tales to tell about snapping turtles? We'd love to hear them!

Great Nature Books

It's time for a new book blog! Last month, we shared our editors' picks for gardening books. This round, we list some of our favorite books about nature.

We hope that you enjoy--and we welcome your book picks, too!

Backyard Bird Identification Guide by Jerry G. Walls. This is a wonderful book for the beginner birdwatcher. It shows the most common wild birds in color photos, with some information on each.

North American Wildlife by the Editors of Reader's Digest. This is a great guide to 2,000 plants and animals in North America. It provides illustrations for many species and includes common and scientific names, descriptions, habitats, ranges, and interesting facts. It also provides other information about general groups, such as mollusks, or tips on identifying trees, etc. It is a colorful, inviting presentation.

Tree Identification Book : A New Method for the Practical Identification and Recognition of Trees by George W.D. Symonds. This is a great ID book, even though all photos are in black and white. It is organized to help you to identify first the family or genus (such as oak) and then the species (such as red oak). It contains more than 1,500 pictorial keys of flowers, fruits, twigs, leaves, and bark. There is also a similar book to identify shrubs.

The Private Life of Plants by David Attenborough If you enjoy ecology, then you might enjoy reading this fascinating account of plant life. Incorporating many photos, this book describes plant relationships with animals and insects; how they avoid predators, find food, and increase their territories; and much more. This book is based on a BBC program in 1995.

In our next book blog, we'll cover another topic. How about food and cooking? Or, some lazy summer "beach reads"? Tell us what you think! What do you read?

Uncommon Plant Containers

Some of the most interesting plant containers are ones that were not originally intended for the purpose.

A few I months ago I bought supermarket salad greens in a clear, shoe box-size plastic container, with a separate lid, and, after eating the contents (which, oddly enough, were packed in a cellophane bag), resisted bringing the container to the recycling center because it seemed there just had to be some way I could reuse it . . .

The other day, it came to me: I punched a few holes in the bottom of the container and then filled it a little more than halfway (3 to 4 inches) with a mixture of compost, soilless potting mix, and potting soil. With the lid under, I poured water from a glass to almost soak the soil. Because the container is clear, I would see where the water went or didn't. The next morning, I sprinkled mixed greens seeds on the soil, gently spread about a quarter-inch of soil over them, and watered with a fine mist spray (my sprayer is a former window-wash bottle).

Already, two days later, some of the seeds are sprouting! Soon enough, I'll have salad, but not just to eat. The container full of greens will make a great centerpiece on the dinner table. Hey, I may even bring it to work and "pick" my lunch!

What's your best uncommon container idea?

Your Backyard Birds

At breakfast, I sit near my backyard window and listen to birds' sweet songs in the morning light.

Did you know that birds are one of the best cues to the length of a day? The changing daylight has a hormonal trigger in birds, and starts birds whistling.

Our wooded backyard draws all kinds of birds; my favorites are the tiny jeweled hummingbirds who are attracted by our bee balm and other plants. (On the gardening page, you can find Almanac articles about best plants for birds, hummingbirds, and butterflies.)

I also love the loons who come to breed and nest on our lake. In fact, the land jutting out next to our cove is called "Loon's Point." The loons have an eerie, haunting call that echoes across the water.

What birds have you seen or heard in your backyard? Please share below! Just type in the box and "submit comment."

(If you have bird photographs, share them on Almanac's free e-card gallery!)

Book Blog!

With April's showers, sometimes the best activity is to curl up with a wonderful book. I asked some of The Old Farmer's Almanac editors to share their book picks. Like many of you, we all love to read!

Since it is gardening season, we've picked five gardening books. Perhaps you'll find something interesting to enjoy. All of the books listed can be found in online bookshops, and many are carried by public libraries.

The Secrets of Wildflowers: A Delightful Feast of Little-Known Facts, Folklore, and History by Jack Sanders

If you're a wildflower lover, this book is for you. It's a gorgeous hardcover book that's a pleasure to read. You don't need to be a botanist to enjoy. The book is nature writing at its best, filled with tidbits about wildflower history, medicinal uses, and fun folklore.

Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds to Your Backyard by Sally Roth.

If you would like butterflies and hummingbirds to grace your garden, read this book. There are lots of inexpensive ideas. It's also an entertaining and insightful guide to butterfly and hummingbird behavior.

Botany for Gardeners: An Introduction and Guide by Brian Capon.

If you're interested in the science behind how plants grow in your garden, this is a great resource. Although not a good book for beginners, it is not as dry and technical as a college textbook and tries to present information in an easy-to-understand format. The book includes many interesting photos and helpful illustrations. Topics include seeds, what goes on inside roots and leaves, what affects plant growth, how plants adapt to protect themselves, the different types of fruits, life cycles and genetics, etc.

The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control, edited by Barbara W. Ellis and Fern Marshall Bradley.

This is a wonderful resource on how to prevent and control pests and diseases of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. The first section is organized by plant; it helps you to identify the problem and then provides solutions. The second section is organized by pest, with photo, description, damage, and organic control. The book also discusses various pest controls in general, including cultural, physical, biological, and chemical.

Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials by Ellen Phillips and C. Colston Burrell.

This colorful book is packed with information about perennials, including planning the layout, choosing the best plants, and caring for them. The second half of the book contains an encyclopedia of popular perennials, with photos, description, care, and suggestions for landscape uses.

Of course, we read all kind of books in every category--from cooking to science to religion to a good old mystery.

In our next book blog, we'll share a few of our favorite nature books.

Please share a book pick (or more)--from any category. Just think about a book that affected you--or that you simply remember enjoying!

Planting an Organic Vegetable Garden

I'm planting a small organic vegetable garden this year.

My goals: to add fresh vegetables to our diet, educate my child about healthful eating, enjoy better-tasting produce, and save money!

I just took a class at a local organic farm. Here are the basics of what I learned. Perhaps you'll find these pointers helpful!

Overall

• Pay closer attention to the soil (versus the plant). If you feed the soil "organic matter" such as compost and manure, your soil will feed the plants the nutrients they need.

• Control pests and diseases without chemicals by giving your plants a heartier start, mulching, and allowing "beneficial" insects to control harmful bugs. If needed, there are organic pesticides that are less toxic to wildlife and humans than synthetics.

Starting Seeds

• Plant the seeds in flats or shoebox-size containers, not into individual cell packs. This way, you don't have empty cells if some don't germinate.

• Look for a seed-starting mix approved for organic use (processed according to the rules of the National Organic Program). Use soilless peat moss and mix in equal parts vermiculite and perlite. I found a starter that's premixed.

• Always put in a third more seeds than you need, as germination is never 100 percent.

Transplanting Seeds

• For transplanting, use a potting mix with plenty of compost such as "Ideal Compost" so the plants have plenty of nutrition as they grow.

• Transplant into cell packs (or the ground) as soon as there are two true leaves. This is the second set of leaves (not the little cotlydons or seed-leaves).

• When you transplant, hold the base of the leaves, not the stem. The stem is the stomach of the plant. If it breaks, throw it out, as it won't grow.

• If you transplant into cell packs, turn the packs each day if the sun is coming from one direction. Gently brush over plants with a stick to get strong stems.

• After 4 weeks, top with a mix of compost and "Pro-Grow" (found in many garden stores), an organic waste product that supplements the nutrient needs of plants. After 4 weeks, the plants have used up what was in the potting mix.

• As you keep the soil watered, remember that the goal is to keep it as "damp as a wrung-out sponge."

When you're ready to plant in the ground, be sure that your soil is ready. Before adding compost and organic matter, get a soil test--for a small fee--through your local extension service. Then, you'll know what your soil needs to be productive.

Hope you found these pointers helpful. To read more, see our article on A Beginner's Garden, which recommends plot size and which veggies to grow.

Are you starting a veggie garden? Have you considered organic gardening? Please share! (Just "Submit Comment" in the box below.)