journal April 17

It's been 7 days since the last post on the Farm Forum - what's going on???

We've had more snow as a backwash of the nor'easter that's been hitting the coast. At least 6 new inches and possible more than that. It does melt underneath now, which makes it hard to tell how much has really fallen. The birds and heifers seem to have acclimated themselves to this non spring and work around it. Yesterday was probably the worse day as it was blustery and bitter and the heifers spent most of the day in the lee of the pine trees on the line fence. Poor girls, they're going to be ready for anything after this.

I have seedlings up, lettuces and lima beans and broccoli on the veggie side and pansies and osteospermum on the flower side, with some other stuff just starting to pop up. I have 6 Catalpa trees (northern version) and noticed another seed trying to sprout yesterday.

I ordered 3 dwarf evergreen trees from Papa Geno's. They call them Troll trees, but I think of them as fairy trees. I hope to put a little fairy house and the trees with some other miniature plants in one of the rock beds. I know some little girls that will be enchanted with it. Right now, the trees are hanging out in my plant room by the window waiting for some less dramatic weather.

Catherine, you mentioned a vacation with an artistic workshop - please tell us more.

Kathy Jo, how are things? Are your holstein beef crosses getting big? Are their mommies being good girls?

NJ, how's calving going?

Bernie, are your greenhouses full to bursting?

Eva Mae, how is your yard coming?

Mary, did you get some of the rain? How are the rides?

Kathy, did you decide to do the Farmer's Market, or are you giving it a by this year?

Lisa should either be in the air or already back in Nashville on her way home to her little hilltop in KY.

Hope to hear from you all soon!