By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

I have always looked toward nature as my predictor of the weather.

Learning the weather patterns of ones local area is very beneficial to gardeners.

It can help the gardener decide when to put the cold or cool season crops in and can provide some guidance as to fall and winter crops.

The key to this technique is knowing what to look for, when to look for it, and understanding what you see.

WOOLY WORM

Wooly worms are famous as bad winter predictors. It is believed that if the caterpillar is solid black, the whole winter will be abnormally bad. On the other end of the spectrum, it is believed that if the caterpillar is brown or light brown this is an indication of a mild winter. Wooly worms have 13 sections and each section represents one week of the winter season. If the wooly worm is in bands of black and brown, this is an indication of a winter that is going to have a lot of changes.

SQUIRRELS

In the fall, squirrels are busy collecting food for the winter. Some believe that Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

What is the weather forecast for your region tomorrow?

Chances are, if you’re a gardener, you know the answer to that question.

However, for non-gardeners who don’t have barbecues planned, the fascination with the weather may not be the same.

I grew up on a farm, and it was our business to keep an eye on the weather. Our hay and crops, and sometimes even the safety of our livestock, all depended on trying to guess what nature had in store for us. Farm kids grow up knowing that a dry summer will mean Read the rest of this entry »