04/07/08 Using the Almanac

I don't know about you, but it's that time of year where I start getting the itch to plant a garden. After pouring over the seed catalogs all winter, my planting desires range anywhere from how to grow the largest tomato ever, to color coordinating the ground cover! And like my Grandfather, his father and his grandfather, I'll consult my Old Farmer's Almanac. There are a lot of us out there still that won't plant, prune, till or toil without consulting the almanac. Being the oldest continuously published periodical in North America; it's been around since 1792, The Old Farmer's Almanac has more than proven its trustworthiness. Not only did I learn from Grandpa that I should garden by the almanac but that it holds a wealth of other useful information regarding tides, household hints, cooking, and an uncanny knack for predicting the weather; which the folks at The Old Farmer's Almanac say they use a secret formula based on climate trends, solar science and lunar cycles. Sounds good to me! Well, time to head to the local nursery. Did I check my almanac? YOU BET!