Howdy!

[Myrth]

I was looking around Tapatalk and found this forum. I'm a long time homesteader, gardener, herbalist. I've been reading past posts and have decided to join the conversation.

We live on a few acres in the rural Midwest. We try to live as green as we are able and strive for greater self-sufficiency.

I have done a wide variety of things over the years, raising sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, horses, dogs. I was a beekeeper (gave that up due to DH' s allergy).

Looking forward to the discussion here.

[matt walker]

Welcome Myrth! Glad to have you here. Is it feeling like spring there yet?

[Myrth]

No, it is snowy and cold right now. Spring is just around the corner, but March definitely came in like a lion this year! Looking forward to spring!!

Thanks for the welcome.

[pa_friendly_guy]

Howdy Myrth, Glad to have you with us. It sounds like you have a lot of experiences to share with us. I look forward to hearing about your homestead and all of the projects you have done over the years. I am interested in Bee Keeping but have some what the same problem as you , my tomato picker is very allergic to bee stings, She is very afraid of having them around the place. We do have that wild hive up in a tree in the field, that some how does not bother her.

[pa_friendly_guy]

Cold and snowy here in South western Pa as well, March definitely came in like a Lion, so I agree, by the end of the month we should have spring. That and the fact that the Ground hog did not see his shadow this year makes me optimistic that we should have spring like days very soon. St Patties day is only 2 weeks away, that was always the day to plant potatoes around here, as well as maybe onions. )

[Myrth]

The spring equinox is March 20 this year. That's usually my target day for potato planting, picking a weekend day about that time. It is usually difficult to work the soil before that date here. Sometimes even that is too early here!

[matt walker]

It sure feels like spring here. I'm shooting for St. Patties day for potatoes as well.

[pa_friendly_guy]

Believe it or not, I have read some place, don't ask me to remember where, that conventional wisdom about planting potatoes early on St Patties Day, just because you can and they will survive is not necessarily the best idea. I read that planting them early like that the plants sprout about the same time that the potato bugs emerge. So the plants are there ready for the bugs cycle. If you delay your planting the bugs may have moved on before your potatoes sprout. I can't say that I have seen this in actual practice, but I have delayed my planting cycle until a bit later because of that advise. Last year my potatoes did crappy by the way, because of the draught. They did not get the water they needed at the right time to form a lot of potatoes. I expected maybe 60lb from what I planted, I got about 30lb. Had I planted earlier I believe they would have gotten more water at the critical time. You pays your money, you takes your chances,

[GrahamB]

Welcome Myrth! Good to see another Mid-Westerner here.
I planted my potatoes in March last year and still had a terrible year. What the drought didn't get, the grasshoppers finished off. I recently downloaded an app for my tablet which has a planting planner on it according to zip code. According to that I should plant four weeks before last spring frost, which puts it at 4/6/13. I'm using this planner for all my planting this year and will see how it goes. Hopefully the swale I dug above the veg garden will help with the water situation, and if the grasshoppers turn up I have the Agrabon covers ready this time.
We have noticed a lot more birds in the field in the past week or so. I was talking to a wildlife expert yesterday about it and they think it is due to all the cold weather you guys are getting up north that has driven them down earlier. He said this could be a good thing as they are all feeding on insects and larvae, including the grasshoppers and ticks we were plagued with last year.

[Myrth]

It is supposed to snow some more this week. My garden is still buried under the snow. Somehow I don't think it will be a good year for planting early! That is a good thing. In recent years early planting has become the new "normal" and the consequences for tree crops can be devastating.

Last year we had warm weather way too early, even by recent standards, which got the fruit trees budding out way too early. Of course this was followed by a late freeze that wiped out much of our fruit crop. So much as I might complain about the weather, as I am now sick of winter, it is better for spring to come on time rather than early.

And though I don't like driving in snowy weather, the snow helps to break the drought. Plus the cold will hopefully make this summer a little less buggy!