It’s that time of the year to take your rain boots, umbrellas, and ponchos out of winter storage. We all have heard the old saying “April showers bring May flowers”, right? It may be hard to believe this saying, especially since this past “so-called” winter has been filled with more rain than snow. Which, by the way, is a great joy for some, but for others, (like me), we truly wanted to see more snow days than mild, spring like days. But we can’t change Mother Nature.
The first thing we must deal with in April is April Fool’s Day, happening each year on April 1st. A day filled with pranks, and you are never too sure who to believe when you hear something. Did you realize that fast food chains are some of the biggest pranksters?
Take White Castle Hamburgers. They approached April Fool’s Day with their hilarious Whey Protein Powder, stating that each individual serving included 27 sliders scientifically granulated into 189 grams of pure whey protein, perfect for those who are training to be the next heavyweight champion, or simply looking to maximize their muscle mass for the summer season.
Burger King decided to promote a Whopper Toothpaste, going as far as making a commercial for this product., They also promoted a “chicken fries” milk shake. The shake was golden yellow with a whipped crème topping, delivered in a cup sporting a chicken face. Thankfully, there was no such thing, because I don’t think that would be tasty at all.
Finally, Chick-Fil- A participated in an event when they marketed a steak filet sandwich. Many customers believed it was true and wanted these sandwiches. After being bombarded with requests for this new sandwich, they finally had to go to their Facebook page to explain that it was an April Fool’s day prank.
Onward to April 7th (Good Friday) and then Easter on Sunday, April 9th. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ and Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus three days after his death by crucifixion. I found a beautiful Easter song called “An Easter Hallelujah” sung by Cassandra Star and her sister Callahan. At the end of this blog, you will find a link to this song. Make sure you have tissues as you watch and listen to this.
April is the time to continue with your gardening journey. The Marshall County Co-op is the place to help you along this journey, supplying you with the seeds, the plants (once they become available), the fertilizers and so much more including professional advice and guidance by some of the smartest and most knowledgeable employees around.
And speaking of planting your garden, have you ever heard of Planting by the Moon? Planting by the Moon, also called “gardening by the moon” or “moon phase”, is the idea that the lunar cycle affects plant growth. Just as the Moon’s gravitational pull creates the tides of the oceans, it also creates more moisture in the soil, which encourages growth. The technique is as follows:
- Plant your annual flowers and fruit and vegetables that bear crops above the ground (zucchini, tomatoes, corn, etc.) during the light or waxing of the moon- from the day the moon is new to the day it is full.
- Plant flowering bulbs, biennial and perennial flowers and vegetables that bear crops below the ground (onions, carrots, potatoes, etc.) during the “dark” or “Wanting of the moon”, from the day after it is full to the day before it is new again.
You can find the Farmer’s Almanac Gardening by the Moon calendar here.
Remember, no matter how you choose to plant your garden or your flowers, shrubs, and more, you know where to turn to with all your questions. We look forward to helping you with all your spring gardening needs and more. And remember, next month it’s our fun filled Annual Mother’s Day Sale when all your planting, flower and tree buying officially kicks off! It’s a week-long, fun filled event! Can’t wait to see you all!
