Some Improvement for the Next 2 Weeks

Apr 25, 2018

Air and soil temperatures remain below normal across Ohio with most soil temperatures below the critical 50 degree level. There is a risk of some frost this Thursday morning and some frost and near freeze conditions this weekend especially north of I-70. This will keep pressure on soil temperatures warming too fast.

The end of April will be not as cool or wet. We will see a round of on/off rain into early Wednesday especially the southeast half of Ohio. Rain totals this week will range from under 0.25 inches in northwest Ohio to 0.5 to 1.0 inches over the south and east sections of the state. Temperatures will average a few degrees below normal this week but nothing like it has been.

The first week of May will bring some good news with above normal temperatures! It will start dry but rain is expected to return by around May 3. Overall, May is shaping up to be closer to normal temperatures but wetter than normal rainfall.

June is looking to be warmer than average with rainfall going from wetter to drier than normal during the month. July is shaping up to be hotter and drier than normal. August is shaping up to be warmer and wetter than normal.

You can keep up-to-date on modified growing degree days from the NOAA Midwest Climate Center at : http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/cliwatch/mgdd/gdd_maps.html

All areas of the corn and soybean belt are way below normal for growing degree days especially west of Ohio.

The pictures below indicate the latest totals and departures from normal.

Source: osu.edu

Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.