Ahhh – lovely snow!  Not so great for driving but it is pretty. Or are you cheering for Staten Island Chuck (did you know we have our own groundhog in NYS?) and his prediction for an early spring?

It’s not just dirt!?  The Cornell Soil Health Program has lots of resources and can do testing for you. And the USDA has a webinar coming up on the program that can help you interpret your assessment for better soil health!

You probably have a general idea of what hardiness zone you are in but did you know that there can be variations on a relatively small scale?  Check out the interactive USDA hardiness zone maps.   Whee!  I’m 5b!  (no colder on average than –10 to –15) But there are little chunks of 5a nearby and it’s 6a near the lake!

And here’s one with the US drought index.  I didn’t know it was abnormally dry here in Tompkins County. I think the recent snow might help!

Don’t worry – be hoppy!  (okay – I couldn’t help myself! But did I really try?)

Beginning Hops Class

Saturday, March 7, 2015, 9:00 am – 2:30 pm

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County, 480 North Main Street, Canandaigua, NY

Feb 11, 2015 HOPS and Barley Webinar sponsored by USDA at 1:30 p.m. EST. You can stream audio through your computer.  Or you can call in to listen to the audio via your phone, U.S. & Canada Toll-Free    855-810-2136.

I don’t think the neonicitinoid conversation has hit Christmas tree growers yet, but if your customers are asking, do you know which insecticides are neonics?  Mode of action class 4A – which includes acetamiprid,  dinotefuran, imidacloprid, and thiomethoxam.Did anyone get questions this Christmas?  Don’t know what I am talking about?

Stay safe and warm and dry.  Or if you are bored and stuck inside – start planning.   (I think # 13 is in Syracuse!)