Thistleblooms Rambles

[farmerjan]

Snow in March was pretty common in Ct when I was growing up too. Plus we often would get snow around Easter; of course that occurs anywhere from March to April on different years. We have had snow here in Va in March too. Not the past few years, but one year when I was still working part-time at the grist mill, we got snow the friday before Christmas, and never saw bare ground until April. Had a snow "event" almost every weekend. It was kind of a joke because my son never had a weekend off from VDOT for 10 straight weeks. I think we had most 4-8 " snows with some melting inbetween, but never real warm to melt it all off. Probably had a total of over 80" snow that year , probably more because we had a couple that were in the 8-12". Still, even with some snow, I prefer the shorter winters here in Va.

 

[Bruce]

Looks like the warm temps and rain are sticking around into February.

Sure BECAUSE you bought the roof rake! If you hadn't you'd be climbing out the second story windows.

Snow in March?

Um, yeah what of it? That is normal, always get a bit in April as well and occasionally May. Actually I'm a bit worried about sap season this year with the temp yo-yoing around freezing this early, going to confuse the trees something awful.

 

[thistlebloom]

Given your latitude @farmerjan , that surprises me that you get that much snow cover for that long.
I don't think we've had snow as late as May here, @Bruce , at least not here in the valleys. Maybe up in the higher elevations. We have hiked in the mountains in late July and found snow pockets. Larka was delighted! She bellied out in the snow and was so sad to have to leave them to continue on our way.

We used to be able to pretty much count on snow by Thanksgiving, and not seeing the ground again till March. But the seasons seem to shifting to later snow, and slower springs.

 

[farmerjan]

There is a guy here who taps about 15-25 trees that already has his lines out. I think he is way too far ahead, but he's a bit a of a know it all..... I haven't heard how things look in Highland County where all the serious sugar camps are. We had all that super warm weather too, and you can even see the little bit of a reddish tint on some of the trees where they were almost ready to start "spring"..... This week we have had night time temps in the teens and every thing has frozen pretty good.

 

[farmerjan]

The last few years here we have also been later to get "winter weather, then it is up and down then colder in the "springtime", with very little spring but maybe a week or so, and then going right into nearly summer weather. We had hay ready to cut the 2nd week of April last year which was crazy. We seldom ever start before early to mid - May.

 

[thistlebloom]

Traditional hay cutting season here used to be July 4th. Last year some farmers cut in June.

 

[Baymule]

Do you only get one cutting? Here farmers get 3 or 4 cuttings.

 

[thistlebloom]

No, seems like orchard grass gets two, and alfalfa gets two. Last year some farmers cut alf 3x.

 

[WildBird]

Actually I'm a bit worried about sap season this year with the temp yo-yoing around freezing this early, going to confuse the trees something awful.

Don't worry about nature, it's the humans who'll be confused!

 

[farmerjan]

Ours varies, if the weather gives us a drying window, we can get 3 cuttings of orchard grass, but most often it is 2. Alfalfa is usually 3 and some dairy farmers get 4 if they irrigate. Many chop first cutting for haylage/or roll it for baleage. The stems are much more coarse for first cutting. We don't grow it, but will buy it if it is 2nd or 3rd cutting for the sheep and the nurse cows with calves. Some years we have had a hard time getting 2 cuttings made if we get constant showers every 2 days or so. And then if it is a drought we have only gotten 1 cutting too.