I guess it's here to stay.

I was waiting for the snow to melt off to finish up some outside work, but doesn't look like it is going to happen. I do remember a Thanksgiving weekend in 1998, it was in the 70's, so I am holding out hope.........
I won't be blogging quite as much in the winter, as you can imagine, not as much to talk about.
At the very least I will do 2 posts a week. I am working on the curriculum for my early spring classes. Last year some of the feed back was: the classes were too early in the year, people weren't 'into it' yet in March-April.

My response is this:
1. don't you want to learn what to do BEFORE you need to be doing it?
2. would folks show up for class on a sunny, warm May evening? NOT
3. as the season progresss, I am also too busy, so early fits my schedule

How quickly it changes,

It seems like just last week we were enjoying warm November days, and now this snow doesn't want to go away. Reminds me a little of the Halloween blizzard. No transistion time, winter is HERE! Already filling out my plant/seed orders for next year. You snooze....you loose in this business. By March for sure, all the good stuff is usually gone.

I have extra potatoes and squash to give away if you are interested, call me. Just for your own family please. 507-382-9337

Also have a few dried floral bunches that are going to 'go over the hill' in about a week. Also free.

Spending the day in New Ulm w/my sister Joan and the house teenager Kelsey.

Lots of snow cover....

But will it stay? Snow cover is very valuable to our plants. As is melts is of course provides moisture, and it protects the crown from harsh drying winds. In the spring, it keeps the plants at a more even temperature. With NO snow cover, the day time thawing in Feb. & March, with quickly dropping night time temps - refreezing, can push or 'heave' (as it is called) the plants up out of the ground. Not that they will totally be pushed out, but sometimes enough to expose some of the roots, and there lies the problem. If you notice this problem early in the spring season w/small plants, you can 'step 'em back in.' Large plants may need to be replanted. Just hilling up around them doesn't work. What will happen after the first rain...that's right!