Halloween is my favorite day of the year. As reported yesterday, I started with a 2 1/2 hour interview with Jon James on Moose Radio in Augusta, Maine. We put trivia questions (from the almanac) out and had dozens of calls. Jon is “off the charts” when it comes to being loose and easy. In addition to talking almanac, we promote the fact that I am a candy dispensing machine. Tonight, I will pass out over 2,000 large candy bars. For those souls who come tonight and know the secret password “Brrr, it’s numbingly cold”, they can select three treats. I usually get 400+ and it is just a blast.These are the biggest candy bars available - the kind I longed for as a kid.

Daylight Savings Time ends -  on November 2nd, we switch from Daylight Savings to Standard Time. So, Saturday night put your clocks back  and you’ll regain that hour on March 8th, 2009.

Let me leave you with some Halloween puns from, Contributing Editor,  Richard Lederer:

What do ghosts serve for desert?  I scream.

What does a vampire fear most? Tooth decay.

What do you get when you drop a pumpkin?  Squash.

Have a Happy, Safe Halloween 

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by pgeiger
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The reports keep coming in regarding the signs of winter. I’ve only had one old grump who says that we are all nuts. But, it is interesting just how many sightings there have been of caterpillars and persimmon seeds. Here’s one I just received: So there is no escaping it - not even Jacksonville, Fl. or Ireland.

Jacksonville Florida, black woollies have been sighted here, and this is our 3rd day of record breaking cold temps. winter is not even here yet. FYI, as far east as Northern Ireland yesterday was record cold, they had their first October snowfall in over 25 years. Cornwall had a hailstorm last night with drifts of up to 6 feet-yes feet-of hail.

Closer to home, some parts of NY and NJ received 6 - 12 inches. Sandi Duncan’s sister sent photos from her home in Lebanon, NJ. This could be Maine in January - sure glad it is not.

I am so excited about Halloween. It is my favorite day (night) of the year. No, I am not big on dressing up and I don’t eat candy but my tradition is to start the day on WMME - 92.3 FM - Moose Radio with Jon James. I am on for 2 1/2 hours during which I disclose the “secret password” for trick or treaters who visit my neighborhood in the evening. This is so popular that local schools will make announcements over the P A System so all the kids know the password. And, of course, it ties into the Farmers’ Almanac. The twist is that I give out King and Giant sized candy bars and I have 18 different varieties. This year, I am prepared with over 2,000 bars for the 400 - 500 who come to my home. If you happen to live in my town and mention this blog… there will be extra candy for your treater. More tomorrow.

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Are we on the edge of winter??  Last week it was getting remarkably cold in the South. Montana had a winter blast with 45+ inches of snow. Maine mountains received 4 - 6 inches last week. This week, NY State and places in New Jersey  saw snow. There have been huge power outages. Sandi Duncan lives in New Jersey and has 5 inches of snow in her yard.

All of this comes at a good time. The National Weather Service (in New England) has declared the week of October 27 - 31st as Winter Weather Awareness Week. John Jensenius has provided me with a great deal of information that can be helpful as we approach those (numbingly) cold and snowy months. This is for New England but works just as well in other parts of the U.S.

…WINTER WEATHER BASICS…

For those who live in New England, winter weather is a part of life from November through March. Snow, sleet, freezing rain, cold temperatures, and cold wind chill temperatures will be common occurrences soon. While most of the time these weather elements are only a nuisance to our daily routines, at times they can produce hazardous or life-threatening situations for those who are not prepared…or for those who do not take the proper precautions.

To alert the public to potentially dangerous winter weather events or situations, the National Weather Service issues OUTLOOKS, WATCHES, WARNINGS, and ADVISORIES. While the exact criteria used to trigger watches, warnings, and advisories in Maine and New Hampshire will be discussed in Public Information Statements later this week, you should keep the following general definitions in mind.

OUTLOOK - A HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK is issued daily by National Weather Service offices across the country to alert the public to the potential for any hazardous weather during the next 7 days (including significant winter storms, high wind, coastal flooding, and extreme temperatures). Due to the uncertainty in predicting the strength and path of a winter storm more than several days in advance, the exact impact on the area (if any) will not be known. In addition, National Weather Service offices may issue SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS.

WATCH - WATCHES are issued to alert the public that dangerous winter conditions are possible in the within the next 24 to 60 hours. Products include: WINTER STORM WATCHES, HIGH WIND WATCHES, and COASTAL FLOOD WATCHES.

WARNING - WARNINGS are issued to alert the public that dangerous winter conditions are likely to occur within the next 6 to 24 hours or are occurring. Products include WINTER STORM WARNING, ICE STORM WARNING, BLIZZARD WARNING, HIGH WIND WARNING, WIND CHILL WARNING, and COASTAL FLOOD WARNING.

ADVISORY- Issued to alert the public that winter conditions are expected to cause a significant inconvenience and may be hazardous. If caution is exercised, these situations should not be life threatening.

Products include WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY, FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY, WIND ADVISORY, and WIND CHILL ADVISORY.

PREPAREDNESS TIP FOR THE DAY:

Automobile accidents are the leading cause of deaths and injuries during and after winter storms. While snow and ice contribute to the slippery conditions…vehicle speed is a major factor in determining the likelihood of a death or serious injury from an automobile accident.

Under certain conditions, roads can get extremely icy from an inch or less of snow, or from freezing drizzle. Patchy black ice…even days after a storm…can be a significant hazard. Many of these hazards are not apparent until it is too late. SLOW DOWN before your vehicle begins to slip and slide. Remember, snow and ice can cause accidents, but vehicle speed kills.

Thanks John - so this is the terminology you’ll hear this winter. If you have to err, do so on the side of caution.

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by pgeiger
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Lots of great questions and comments during the past few days:

                                                                        Woollybear caterpillars

I live north of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Picked up an all black, quite bushy Wooly yesterday. It was at the entrance of my sliding door going into the house to escape winter. At least I have new snow tires.

I encountered two today. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. Both were solid black. I live in St. Louis, MO

I work near  Leesburg Virginia.I saw 8 wolly worms heading south today.most had a very thick black coat, longer than a 1/4 inch,with hardly any orange in it.I guess winter is going to stink this year….

Earlier this fall we heard about the bright orange caterpillars, but the tide has turned and more reports are streaming in about these black and bushy critters trying to get inside.                                                                 Persimmon Seeds

I’m in Springdale, AR and opened up a couple of seeds and they both were split spoons. Here comes the snow!

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by pgeiger
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Recently, there was an article in USA Today about the Dollar Coin. There have been several attempts to create a dollar coin and each has failed. The Susan B. Anthony coin looked like a quarter and our current dollar, while different looking, just hasn’t caught the attention of citizens. The U.S. Mint is now touting the dollar coin as being green. Coins have a life of  30 years vs. a paper dollar which lasts 18 months. The number of trees being harvested to become money is enormous. And, the government could save billions of dollars if the switch was made because of the relative cost to print money vs. minting a coin.  Why mention it at all??

In the 1990s we proposed a dollar coin and designed one that would salute Christopher Columbus on the 500th Anniversary of his discovery of America. It didn’t matter if it was a Columbus Coin or someone else, but we felt that the time had come to have a dollar coin, but only if we eliminated the dollar bill. This happened in Canada - the now famous Loony Dollar Coin. We argued that if we had no dollar bill, it would increase the popularity of the $2.00 bill.

Here is our article - written 20 years ago. (Bold stuff)  But, how do you feel about eliminating the bill and replacing it with a dollar coin? Two decades later, has the move toward plastic and need to carry less currency in our pockets created a time to make the change. Weigh in on our forum or send me a note…

“LAND HO!”
THE
COLUMBUS DOLLAR APPROACHES ITS DESTINATION

As we go to press, our campaign to introduce the Columbus Dollar as the replacement for our one dollar bill is making great progress. Bill HR1068, placed before the House by Congressman Jim Kolbe, and Bill S814, entered before the Senate by Senator Pete Domenici, are enjoying an increase in support by Congress. This legislation is known as The Coinage Reform Act of 1989. Should all go as planned, our currency will include a new one dollar coin in 1992 — the 500th anniversary of the celebrated discovery of
America by Christopher Columbus. This coin will probably bear the image of this great explorer.

The House Bill, as does the Farmers’ Almanac, seeks to halt the printing of the one dollar bill due to its limited life span and high production cost. The American taxpayer would save over $318 million annually if a coin replaced the dollar bill because coins last 30 years while bills last only 17 months. A coin costs 6 cents to produce, while a dollar bill costs 2 6/10 cents. Response thus far has been overwhelming, with the New York Times, Coin World and many columnists among those endorsing our efforts.

We know there is some dissent among people who are not thoroughly acquainted with the facts.

Those who point to the failure of the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin a decade ago should note that it was an alternate dollar, not exclusive, and thereby a novelty. In addition, it looked and felt like a quarter, making it a nuisance. The Columbus Dollar will be gold toned and have the benefit of hindsight thus avoiding these problems.

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by pgeiger
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There was quite a bit of excitement in Rhode Island last week about a grower who was about to set a world record for his giant pumpkin - a beast  estimated to  approach 1700 lbs.  If that was the case, it would be like beating the 4 minute mile by two minutes or more. Weight is estimated by measuring the pumpkin and factoring in it’s density and “family history”. Yes, growers track parents and offspring’s. . My expert pumpkin grower, Al,  has passed on the results of the weigh in.

Not sure if you heard or not - last Saturday in R. I.  a grower thought he was going to break the world record for the giant pumpkin set last year at 1689 pounds but when they lifted his entry with the tractor and sling to set it on the scale it started to leak from the bottom and had to be disqualified…. it weighed 1568 pounds well under last years record.  The grower who set the record last year had one that weighed 1507 and came in 1st place. Al
 
Can you imagine the heartbreak of being disqualified. So much effort goes into growing giant pumpkins but to have it leak and be disqualified…. the agony of defeat (again).  Be sure to check out the video on our home page describing the growing and floating of Giant Pumpkins. It is like no other race.

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“Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue; it is hard for an empty bag to stand upright.”
-Benjamin Franklin

“Poverty is the worst form of violence.”
-Mahatma Gandhi

One of my favorite sections of the annual Farmers’ Almanac is “Philosofacts,” a page full of pithy aphorisms from days gone by, much like those proffered by Benjamin Franklin in his famous “Poor Richard’s Almanack.” A sentiment often expressed among those sayings is the idea that “who you are is more important that what you have.” And, while I firmly believe in the truth of that statement, it’s equally important to remember that what one doesn’t have – including equal access to food, shelter, and opportunities – can, at times, cast an unwholesome shadow over the potential for who one is able to become.

Childhood poverty is especially problematic, in that sense. Scientific evidence has shown us that children who don’t have enough food to eat are statistically less likely to grow up to become productive adults.

Approximately 37 million Americans, or about 12.3% of our nation’s population, live in poverty, according to Feeding America, a nationwide network of community food banks. Of those, nearly 13 million are children. Worldwide, nearly 30,000 children die each day due to poverty, according to UNICEF.

By now, you’re probably wondering what you can do about those depressing statistics. One of the easiest things you can do is donate some of you time or money – or both – to one of the many organizations that work on combating poverty and hunger.

We highlighted one such organization – Heifer International – in the 2009 edition of the Farmers’ Almanac. The organization’s mission is to provide livestock for people in poverty-stricken areas, and encouraging recipients to pass on the gift once they’re on their feet. Since 1944, Heifer International has raised more than 38 million people around the globe out of the devastation of hunger. For more information, check out their Web site at: www.heifer.org

For those in urban areas, community gardening projects, such as Lots to Gardens – a great organization based right here in my hometown of Lewiston, Maine – provide the land and the expertise to help people grow their own food right in the middle of the city. In addition to giving low-income people the resources they need to fight hunger in their own lives, Lots to Gardens volunteers and staff grow extra food that is then donated to a local food pantry for those who can’t grow their own. Other community gardening organizations exist throughout the United States. To find one near you, or learn how to start one of your own, visit: http://www.communitygarden.org

Food banks and pantries are another important facet of the fight against hunger. Whether you know it or not, the chances are there’s one near you. Donating nonperishable items to your local food bank is one easy way to help them help others in your community. But did you know that much of the food that is donated to food banks goes to waste because there isn’t enough manpower to sort and distribute it before it expires? That’s why volunteering some of your time – even if it’s just a few hours each month – at your local food bank is one of the most beneficial things you can do. To find one near you, go to: http://www.feedingamerica.org

There are many other wonderful organizations out there that work tirelessly to help lift others out of crushing poverty. If you’ve volunteered for one, we’d love to hear about it in our forums

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by pgeiger
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For some people it is all about winning. For others, it is how you play the game. Each year I look forward to Columbus Day for the Giant Pumpkin Regatta held in Damariscotta (Maine). TLC goes into growing a 450 lb orange pumpkin boat. Then, it gets painted (this time a cow) and finally, a little surgery to open it up and off you go. Well almost.

Last year I won the race, but this time I rolled the pumpkin 3 times before the race started and it was all over. I quite literally, had a cow. You never know how a pumpkin will handle until you get into it. Even then, you can make adjustments trimming weight on one side or another or adding sandbags for additional weight.

My “ship” looked wonderful until I squeezed into it and found I had only 2 - 3 inches of freeboard. So, every time I moved a little water came over and it made things worse. I will post the pictures of my giant Cow-umpkin later this week. So, the agony of defeat makes me more resilient to do better next Columbus day!! Heck, I just want to be in the race….my reputation is on the line.

On October 14th, we get to enjoy the Hunter’s Full Moon. It occurs at 4:02 pm (Eastern). Names were assigned by Native Americans who associated Full Moons with activities on earth. This Full Moon allowed for hunting later into the night.

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by pgeiger
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I came across a special report in the October 7th USA Today. It is entitled “Sharing in the USA”. Giving back to the community has always been at the core of who I am and what Geiger Bros. and the Farmers’ Almanac is about. With needs growing and foundations and giving being threatened, it will only exacerbate lives here and around the world.

In the 2009 Farmers’ Almanac, I selected a charity that caught my eye. It is called Heifer Project International. I learned of it last Christmas when my mother gave me a pig, goat and a water buffalo. Well, I didn’t get the animals but through Heifer, animals were given to a needy family. Heifer’s  approach is  to helping people obtain a sustainable source of food and income. What better charity to honor in our pages than an organization that helps better lives through animals and food. Their website is http://www.heifer.org.

Each of us is touched by some charity. It is important that we all give time and resources. It is through this collective effort that all our lives are made better. Sir Winston Churchill authored my favorite saying:

     You make a living by what you get,

     You make a life by what you give.

What are the causes that tug at your heart strings. Is it education, an illness, poverty, hunger, church……whatever it is, the group needs you and the talent  you can provide.  

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by pgeiger
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I suggested a number of ways to save on energy costs and stretch a dollar. I asked for ideas. Here is one I had not considered. Apparently, there are apple orchards in Maine that allow you to “buy” or “rent” a tree for $40/ year. The orchard cares for it but when the fruit arrives, you get the yield. You can rent the same tree every year or do a McIntosh one year, a Cortland another or other variety. But, all the apples belong to you and you and can be  picked at will.

There is a Chick’s Orchard in Monmouth, Maine that rents a tree for $40 - $50 per year. Has anyone else heard of renting an apple, orange, pear or other tree? Is this unique to Maine? This is certainly a down to earth way of buying apples and turning them into a healthy snack, pies, apple sauce, etc. that will last an entire year. 

by pgeiger
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