January 28, 2009 

one, done, done!!! Printing tomorrow!!!!!! And getting the next two done. 

Since I have been back, I was itching like a hound dog with millions of fleas (quite the visual hey?)... The cold weather just sucks all the moisture out of my skin. My face also got windburnt and perhaps a little frostnipped since I am apparently more susceptible to it now from last years problem. Even my super duper lotions from Lush were not doing a thing for me and I was going completely mad. So I resorted to my never-fail method. A bath with honey and slathered honey all over my poor face, then when I got out, almond oil from head to toe. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Relief!

Last night at my meeting, I found out that I have just a bit more than a month longer growing season than my 40 acre farm. I could grow everything I wanted there at my 'former' farm except corn, so I cannot complain, but more growing time, is always a good thing. The growing season is May to Mid-September. Annual sunshine 2,082.1 hours. I am a happy camper!! Where I am from in Oregon, I would only get 2,000-2,400 hours of sunshine (and I swear it is sunnier more days up here then down there). 

Evidently I now live in Zone 3b/4a and the new farm is a good solid 3b. This will make it so I am more guaranteed in growing my crops out that little extra so I can save more seed. It was tight before.  But I'll bet I can create or find microclimates that will gain me to zone 4b or better.

To be hardy long-term, a plant must be able to withstand low temperatures as they occur, so governments created 'zone maps' Some maps break the zones into 'a' and 'b'.

Zone 1: below -46 C (below -50 F)
Zone 2: -46 to -40 C (-50 to -40 F)
Zone 3: -40 to -34 C (-40 to -30 F)
Zone 4: -34 to -29 C (-30 to -20 F)
Zone 5: -29 to -23 C (-20 to -10 F)
Zone 6: -23 to -18 C (-10 to 0 F)
Zone 7: -18 to -12 C (0 to 10 F)
Zone 8: -12 to -7 C (10 to 20 F)
Zone 9: -7 to -1 C (20 to 30 F)
Zone 10: -1 to 4 C (30 to 40 F)
Zone 11: above 4 C (above 40 F)