We need rain!

Submitted by Evelyn Kiefer on Sat, 04/03/2010 - 22:53.
Waterfall, Cleveland Botanical Gardens, photo courtesy of Claes Roulet

Coincidence or global warming? The rhubarb I planted last year has justed started to come up and already I have had to water it. Look at the soil and you might think we are experiencing a late summer draught.

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April Showers

Submitted by Gone Fishin on Sun, 04/04/2010 - 06:20.

April Showers are on the way.  Cool picture, Evelyn.

we need to be prepared to green deserts

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sun, 04/04/2010 - 08:02.

Water optimization will be the biggest issue for local foods production in the future. The way weather patterns look farmers around here will really need to take precautions against draught - rain barrels alone won't cut it, and the cost and terms of "city" water kill that as an option - we will need to find and divert stable natural water supplies... groundwater, lakes, ponds and rivers... and manage those resources and our groundwater from regional and global perspectives - new farms will need to plan sophisticated water optimization systems... we need to be prepared to green deserts, in Northeast Ohio.

Disrupt IT

And protect crops from April blizzards

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sun, 04/04/2010 - 08:44.

Looking at the 15 day forecasts for the region it seems likely we'll have some more freezing weather - perhaps even more snow - I haven't seen any projections on how that will affect any crops, like fruit trees budding now... they are worth a large fortune to our state economy!

I know in some regions of the county they take measures to protect crops against freezing - do we here.

Are greenhouses looking more cost-attractve, with climate change?

If climate change means early warm Springs with snaps of extreme cold and high risk of late Spring snow storms, do we need to develop new farming practices and technologies just to keep our current food economy and supply stable?

Is there a local farmers weather advisory system... I remember there used to be something like that first thing in the morning... back when all TV stations went off the air 'round midnight each night, and returned to the air each morning with a farm advisory report for the farmers heading out to field, around 5 AM...

The good old days...

Perhaps we should provide that service here...

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rough on roses

Submitted by noner on Sun, 04/04/2010 - 16:47.

 its rough on roses, too... the past few years have seen really warm early spring, a huge snow (particularly on th west side) with 20' temps and then a cool dry May...

not so great for any crop.