COMMENTARY - Planting, Baseball, and the Derby ...
... the three sure-fire signs that Spring is in the air. (The pollen is another indicator, but that goes without saying.)
By Donnie Johnston
COMMENTATOR
We got rain earlier this week – finally.
I know this sounds strange to some Northern Neck farmers who were waiting for the soil to dry out enough to plant corn, but up in my neck of the woods it has been dry.
Storm after storm split and either went north or south of us. From Feb. 20 until Monday we had a total of only about one inch of precipitation. My peas and potatoes came up, but my beets, which are planted on top of the ground, never had enough moisture to germinate. I planted them twice. It may be too late to try again.
Wind was a big part of the problem. This has been one of the windiest springs I can recall, drying the top two inches of soil and turning it almost to dust.
Groundwater is in good shape. My artesian well continues to push water out of the top, a sure sign that there is plenty down below. While it was really dry last fall, we had good rains in December, January and February.
Monday’s rain helped wash off the pollen, which has kept allergy sufferers sneezing and their eyes watering for the past three weeks. Everything started blooming at one time around March 25 and it has been rough since.
Cattlemen really needed the rain. Traditionally, you “turn out” (stop feeding hay) on April 15 and the inch or so of moisture this week was a Godsend. The first cutting of hay also needed a boost. Suddenly, the alfalfa and the orchard grass fields are starting to jump. Gotta keep those rains coming.
We are about two or three weeks away from planting tomatoes and other tender crops. Although some gardeners want to cheat and take a chance on a few early tomatoes, I will wait until about the first of May to set out plants.
I’ll plant corn and beans the last week in April (weather permitting). By the time they come up the threat of frost will likely have passed.
Spring gobbler season comes in Saturday (April 12) and lasts until May 17. Hunting is allowed only until noon until April 27 and all day after that.
I’ve seen a lot of turkeys around and an old gobbler was strutting in a field behind a friend’s house the other day. Last week’s warm temperatures put the mating season in full swing.
This is also a good time to fish for trout in some of the mountain streams of Madison and Rappahannock counties. A buddy of mine caught a 16-incher last week.
And don’t forget morels, those tasty mushrooms that grow on mountain ridges. Monday’s rain may bring a few out, but the best time will be a week or so from now when the poplars and the redwoods start blooming (later in the mountains than in the flats).
And yes, it is legal to hunt mushrooms in the Shenandoah National Park. You may also pick raspberries up there in the summer and pick up walnuts in the fall. It is all part of the mountain experience.
Spring means baseball and it looks like another long season for the Washington Nationals, who didn’t spend much money on free agents last winter.
The Nats have several promising youngsters, but they are not there yet. And they’ve got some retreads who are past their prime. And their pitching is suspect.
Meanwhile, the Bryce Harpers, the Trea Turners and the Juan Sotos are tearing up the league – but with other teams. It is one thing to develop players, but you must keep them. And that means spending money, which the owners seem unwilling to do.
Washington draws extremely well, so the Nationals can’t be financially strapped. In baseball today, you’ve got to dish out the dough or be a cellar-dweller.
Finally, the Kentucky Derby is only three weeks away and there is no clear favorite for the first leg of racing’s triple crown.
But who cares. The Derby is a social event at Churchill Downs and the ladies are already trying on hats in preparation for the big day.
Lot of things going on this spring.
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