Sunday morning at 2am we move our clocks forward and enter Daylight Saving Time. 70 countries observe DST in one form or another. The only industrialized countries that do not are Japan, China and India. It was created as a way to enjoy more daylight in the evenings during the summer months.

The concept of Daylight Saving Time is credited to Ben Franklin. The benefit of  daylight  in the 1700s and 1800s, was to allow farmers to work later into the night. During the 1900s it was determined that DST could help conserve fuel. More recently Congress expanded DST as a major energy policy. The jury is out about whether DST saves on fuel consumption. From what I read, it does not. 

Regardless, we turn our clock forward this Sunday and will move them back the first weekend of November. It is also a good time to remember to replace batteries in smoke, carbon monoxide and other pieces of monitoring equipment. . Rather than throwing the batteries away, you might be able to put them in radios, clocks or other household items that require a low amount of power.

by pgeiger
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Norm Dvoskin, is a weathercaster on News 12 Long Island (New York) . . . he was a long time friend of my Dad, Ray Geiger. His comment about the month of March:

Sometimes, March can be more wintry than January or February. How many of us remember the year 1956, when no fewer than six wintry storms affected New England? There were back-to-back snowstorms on St. Patrick’s Day and the first day of spring that paralyzed the Boston area. If you browse through our list of 100 Most Memorable Weather Events of the Last 100 Years (2000 Farmers’ Almanac), 8 occurred during March including:

March 23, 1913 - Omaha’s Easter Sunday Tornado (94 deaths)

March 1, 1914 - Heavy Wet Snow NY/NJ - 24 inches

March 18, 1925 - Great Tri-state Tornado (Ms/Il/In (695 deaths)

March 15, 1941 - Severest Blizzard MN/ND (71 deaths)

March 6, 1962 - Great Atlantic Coast Storm 33 inches of snow in VA

March 11, 1962 - Iowa Record Snow - 48 inches of snow

March 13- 14, 1993 - Blizzard of ‘93 - 13″ of snow in Birmingham, Al. and 36″ in Syracuse, NY (200 deaths)

March - July, 1997 - Most powerful El Nino CA to FL- Rainfall 10 times greater than normal

Some northern New Englanders are probably getting a sense of déjà vu, since this winter has been particularly rough in terms of cold and snow. In Portland, Maine, for instance, more than 8-feet of snow has fallen. In Caribou Maine they have “experienced” 144 inches of snow heading toward their all time record of 188″. This part of the country has had 23 plowable storms this winter. Other parts of the country have also been hit hard, if not with cold and snow, then with out-of-season thunderstorms and tornadoes over parts of the Midwest and southeast US.

When Caleb we drew up our long-range forecasts (a couple of years ago) for 2008, there was a “red flag” raised for the period around March 27. He talks about a major Atlantic coastal storm. Could this deliver winter’s final blow - (during the first official week of spring, no less). We’ll just have to wait and see, although if our forecast pans out, a lot of folks are going to agree with Norm!

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by pgeiger
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If you think it arrives early this year, you are right. In the present calendar, the date for Easter shifts every year. The holiday will occur no earlier than March 22 and no later than April 25. The date for Easter is determined as being the first Sunday following the first Full Moon (called the Paschal Full Moon) that occurs on or after the vernal equinox (Spring). This year,the first day of Spring is on March 20th - a Thursday. The Pascal Full Moon is on March 21st and the first Sunday thereafter is March 23rd - Easter. Simple?!

To plan ahead Easter falls as follows: 2009 - April 12th, 2010 - April 4th, 2011 - April 24th, 2012 - April 8th.

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Here’s the big one for a trivia contest. The next time Easter falls on March 23rd is in the year 2160. And if you wanted to live long enough to see Easter on the absolute earliest date possible, it will be on March 22, 2285!! The last time we saw Easter on March 23rd was the year 1913 and the last time it was on March 22nd, was the year the Farmers’ Almanac was established - 1818. I know - this is too much.

by pgeiger
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March is Maple Syrup Month in Northern New England. With warmer days, sap starts to run in maple trees. It can take as much as 45 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. There is an entire industry set up to tap trees, collect the sap and boil it to it’s finished sweetness and texture. It is an art and lots of fun for families who visit Sugar Houses during the month. .

When you buy syrup look for different grades:

*Grade A Light Amber is very light, has a mild, delicate maple flavor, and is used for making maple candy and maple cream.

*Grade A Medium Amber is a bit darker, has more maple flavor,and is the most  popular grade for table syrup.

*Grade A Dark Amber is darker yet, with a strong maple flavor.

*Grade B, sometimes called a cooking syrup, is very dark with a rich maple taste as well as a hint of caramel flavor. Because of its strong flavor, it is most often used for baking, cooking and as flavoring in specialty foods.

If you have never tried maple syrup, it is a treat. You can order a bottle from our website www.farmersalmanac.com - click on shop. We have a Light Amber and a Dark Amber to choose from. Enjoy.

by pgeiger
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We have turned the corner on winter. With March comes a sun that is a little higher in the sky and a bit warmer. It is still a major month for snow in northern states but the melting process has begun. With March come the arrival of birds. If you enjoy birds in your backyard, keep in mind that what you plant plays a part in persuading songbirds to visit. Birds need food, safety and shelter, just as we do. Flowering shrubs and plants that provide seeds, berries and/ or nuts are appetizing to our feather friends. Junipers, yews and cedars offer refuge and food supplies. Sour berries, such as the American cranberry and holly might also be appealing to birds.

Honeysuckle, roses and mulberries are also good, as they provide privacy, nesting areas and food. So as you prepare for the arrival of Spring (March 20th) and birds, keep in mind natural ways to invite birds to your home.

As you think about seeds, keep in mind my friends at Johnny’s Selected Seeds. They are a private Maine company that offers quality seed and service. Check them out at www.johnnyseeds.com.

by pgeiger
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