The most predictable event around these parts is the second winter. But somehow it still surprises us a little every year. Just 2 weeks ago we were enjoying 70-degree February days. So much so that the fig trees started breaking dormancy and putting on foliage, Blueberries were blooming, and the cows were able to graze some early green grass. And just like that, Mother nature says "not so fast". It probably seems weird, but I kind of hate it for those little trees. You know they have stored up energy all winter waiting for the right time to wake up. Only to be bitten by the frost of second winter. I get it, I've been bitten by that same frost several times in the past. I like to think I've become a little wiser and more patient, so now I'm happy to wait until after April 15 to plant anything that needs to live above 32 degrees. However, that doesn't mean we can't prepare. My apple-growing friend Brian Heatherington shared a nugget of wisdom with me during one of those 70-degree February days. Brian said, "You can't always plow your garden in February, but if you can, you should." There's a lot of wisdom in that statement. Not only for farming, but for life also. Even though second winter can be frustrating, it's nice to know that we plowed our garden when we had the opportunity.
