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Farmhouse Window: It is cold outside, but it’s time to get ready for the growing season.

Carol Ann Gregg

January 28, 2022

3 Min Read
Two men working doing yard work
GARDEN HELP: Many hands make light work as my family tackles spring yard cleanup.Courtesy of Carol Ann Gregg

Spring will be here before you know it. Now is the time to prepare.

It’s time to fine-tune that equipment and get those planters ready. It may be too early to plant, but when the soil temperature is right, the planter must be ready to go.

For me, at least when the weather is nicer and not too cold, this is the time to clean up the flower beds. I start to imagine what new things I can plant. But it’s an overwhelming task that gets harder to do every year.

Last year, my son and his family came up on a Sunday afternoon and tackled the cleanup chores of early spring. They trimmed the walks and pulled any weeds that started to appear. They saw things that needed done that I would have let go. It is amazing the difference of having 10 hands working instead of only two. By the end of that afternoon, we were all ready for supper and some apple pie.

Plants that I have ordered are about to arrive. I need to take a walk around the yard to determine exactly where they will go. I ordered an assortment of dahlias this year. This will be the first time in years that I have planted them.

I remember my dad’s aunt having rows of them. She belonged to a garden club and would compete in flower shows. They were beautiful. She shared tubers with my mother. I remember how my mom took great care to dig them up each fall. In the spring, she would divide them, creating more plants to produce beautiful blooms from midsummer through fall. I am looking forward to having blooms to create beautiful bouquets.

I am hoping my arthritis will allow me to enjoy working in the yard this summer. I love having a reason to go outside.

Happy for new processor

With the supply chain issues we are all facing, I was pleased to see a new meat processing facility open in our area. There has been a shortage of meat processors across the state. Considering the regulations that butchers face, it is no wonder people are not willing to go into this business.

Pennsylvania now has a program that provides funds to help startup meat processing plants get through the regulatory requirements. I hope it encourages people to consider this type of enterprise.

Lambing time is coming

Sheep farmers are readying for lambing time. Lambs are born to coincide with holidays where lamb is featured on the menu. Some lamb producers have moved to having lambs born year-round to ensure a steady income. We have never raised sheep, but I have always loved visiting farmers who care for these little ones. I know they aren’t raised to be pets, but they sure are cute.

As the days get longer, we will feel the temperatures climb. Being outdoors will be part of our regular routines. I, for one, am looking forward to being in the warm sunshine again.

Gregg writes from western Pennsylvania. She is the Pennsylvania 2019 Outstanding Woman in Agriculture and is a past president of American Agri-Women.

About the Author(s)

Carol Ann Gregg

Carol Ann Gregg writes from western Pennsylvania. She is the Pennsylvania 2019 Outstanding Woman in Agriculture and is a past president of American Agri-Women.

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