The Old Farmer's Almanac 2016 [2016 ed.] 1571986731, 9781571986733

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almanac Of HUMOR * "USEFUL, WTH & p

THE ORIGINAL ROBERT B. THOMAS FARMER'S ALMANAC, FOUNDED IN 1792

w~ ALSO FEATURING ASTRONOMICAL TABLES, TIDES, HOLIDAYS, ECLIPSES, ETC.

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WEATHER FORECASTS For 18 Regions of the United States I ''lIHIlll.,Illllil.nl ill,

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elcome, friends, to the 224th consecutive edition of this Almanac! It is our privi¬ lege and pleasure to provide you, within these pages, the elements that make this a true almanac—a calendar of the heavens and a time capsule of the year: • timetables for the year’s astronomical events • traditionally 80 percent-accurate daily weather forecasts (beginning on page 192) for all of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii • articles and advice about a variety of dated events! You will also find quirky facts, timeless adages and advice, pithy quotes and profound proverbs, contests, Anecdotes and Pleasantries, Best Days to do things (from fishing to weaning, from planting to setting eggs), and more, including these entertaining and informative articles . .. 2016 Trends (page 10) Forecasts by experts of trends, ideas, and activities that define our life and times. A Brewer’s Bounty in Bloom (page 34) Berries, grains, hops, and herbs on tap for your garden. When a Splice Is Nice (page 44): Graft an apple tree to diversify a harvest or a lilac to extend the season. Your results will be a cut above all others! Marvelous Journeys Made by Seeds (page 54) Meet Mother Nature’s drifters, floaters, hitchhikers, exploders, and more. Little-Known Legumes (page 64) Celebrate the ancient and healthful pulse crops—beans and their botanical relatives—with facts and recipes. Winners In the 2015 Dips and Spreads Recipe Contest (page 76) Three cheers for cream cheese! You’re a Gem! (page 80) Everybody’s got a birthstone. Check here for semiprecious facts and folklore about yours. Jet Streams: Hot Curves and Cold Weather (page 86) Drought! Heat! Cold! Heavy rain! What is the jet stream and why is it causing such extreme weather? The Biggest Moon of Our Lives (page 112) It hasn’t happened since 1948 and it will not occur again until 2034. You do not want to miss the Supermoon! Angling Advice for Anyone Anywhere (page 158) Reel solutions to the question: “How do I catch big fish?”

continued on back flap

The Old Farmer’s Almanac CALCULATED ON A NEW AND IMPROVED PLAN FOR THE YEAR OF OUR LORD

Being Leap Year and (until July 4) 240th year of American Independence Fitted for Boston and the New England states, with special corrections and calculations to answer for all the United States. Containing, besides the large number of Astronomical Calculations and the Farmer’s Calendar for every month in the year, a variety of New, Useful,

& Entertaining Matter.

Established in 1792 by Robert B. Thomas (1766-1846)

Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees it close; Something attempted, something done, Etas earned a night’s repose. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American poet (1807-82)

Cover T.M. registered in U.S. Patent Office

>016

Copyright © 2015 by Yankee Publishing Incorporated ISSN 0078-4516

Library of Congress Card No. 56-29681

Original wood engraving by Randy Miller

The Old Farmer’s Almanac • Dublin, NH 03444 • 603-563-8111 • Almanac.com The Old Farmer’s Almanac

1

Contents 0

2016 TRENDS l

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ABOUT THIS ALMANAC

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Contact Us.1, 98,100

Eclipses. 102

To Patrons.6

Bright Stars. 104

How to Use This Almanac.119

The Twilight Zone/ Meteor Showers. 106

AMUSEMENT

The Visible Planets.108

10 Peculiar “Laws” That Explain Everything.184 Mind-Manglers.245

Astronomical Glossary.110 The Biggest Moon of Our Lives.112

Essay Contest Winners.246 Anecdotes & Pleasantries.266 ANNIVERSARY

The Most Dangerous Woman in America.230

CALENDAR

You’re a Gem!.80 Three-Year Calendar.118 Holidays and Observances.123,152 Calendar Pages.124-151 Tides.153,248 Glossary of Almanac Oddities .. 154 Time Corrections.250 FISHING ASTROLOGY

Best Fishing Days.156

Secrets of the Zodiac.242 Best Days for 2016.244 2

Angling Advice for Anyone Anywhere.158

(continued on page 4)

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Contents (continued from page 2) MISCELLANY

FOLKLORE

Sandals, Soles, and Shoe-perstitions.180

Home Resource.75 The Old Farmer’s General Store.256 General Store Classifieds.258 Index to Advertisers.264 A Reference Compendium.273

Little-Known Legumes.64 Recipe Contest Winners.76 GARDENING

A Brewer’s Bounty in Bloom.32 When a Splice Is Nice.44 Frosts and Growing Seasons.188 Put Away the Shovel!.236 Planting by the Moon’s Phase... 240

Marvelous Journeys Made by Seeds.54 Moose Understood.220 Creatures From Hell.226 PETS

The Love of Your Life

164

How Clean Is Your Kitchen? .... 170 Table of Measures.175 Reuse, Recycle, Renew, Refresh. 176 HUSBANDRY

A Horse Is Not Just a Horse.212 Gestation and Mating Tables

219

Jet Streams: Hot Curves and Cold Weather.86 Winter/Summer Weather Maps... 96 General Weather Forecast.97 H0V4 We Predict the Weather.... 189 How Accurate Was Our Forecast Last Winter?.190 Weather Regions Map.191 Forecasts by Region. 192-209

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2016

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To Patrons

Weather Proof

R

But did the Almanac predict this

eaders consistently tell us that “weather” is the #1 reason they

weather? We still get questions about

read this Almanac. It has been this way

this, and we’ve had an eye out for cop¬

for centuries, possibly due in part to a weather forecast that we made (or may¬

ies of that 1816 edition. Several have been found, but none has a snow pre¬

be didn’t make) 200 years ago. Nobody expected what actually hap¬

diction for that summer. As the story goes, the printer inserted

pened. Snow fell during July and August

a “snow” prediction into the 1816 edi¬

of 1816 in New England and parts of

Robert B. Thomas was sick in bed with

Canada. The diary of Rev. Thomas Robbins

the flu. When Thomas discovered the

of East Windsor, Connecticut, tells of a foot of snow in the Berkshires in June.

tion as a joke while Almanac founder

“error,” he destroyed all—or maybe most of—the “snow” copies and had the 1816 Almanac reprinted with the

In July, heavy frosts and ice storms occurred. On the 4th, Caleb Emery of

more conventional forecast. It’s said

Lyman, New Hampshire, visited a well that was completely frozen over 8 feet

the early months of that year, Thomas repeatedly had to deny making such a

belowground; it remained that way un¬

ridiculous forecast. Then, when it re¬

til July 25. The region’s com crop, except where

ally did snow in July, he changed his tune and took full credit. “Told you

near ponds or the ocean, failed. So many birds froze that few were

so!” he allegedly said. If the story is true, it’s a good exam¬

seen in New England for 3 years.

ple of what this Almanac’s 11th editor,

that word got out anyway, and during

In the history books, the period is

Robb Sagendorph, always referred to

referred to as “the year without a sum¬ mer” and “the cold summer of 1816.”

as “almanacsmanship.” Today, our me¬

Its cause was eventually shown to have

weather predictions. Almanacsmanship

been an 1815 volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in what was then the

goes into all of the other pages.

Dutch East Indies. This event had left volcanic dust circling the globe, low¬ ering temperatures as much as several degrees and resulting in snow. Such an eruption would explain the appearance

teorologist, not the printer, makes the

-J. S., June 2015 However, it is by our works and not our words that we would be judged. These, we hope, will sustain us in the humble though proud station we have so long held in the name of Your obedient servant,

of the Sun in 1816 as “in a cloud of smoke,” as described in the American Magazine of History. 6

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2016

OUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE

YOUR COUNTRY VALUES

Life in the country is a conscious choice. And, for generations, your family has relied on the best, most dependable equipment available to wort the land you love. Today, more and more farmers are using dependable, professional-grade equipment to maintain their yards, too. And for that, they're turning to Exmark. For more than 30 years, Exmark has set the standard in professional equipment. Today, they're the first choice of landscape professionals — purchased two-to-one over the next best-selling brand. Get a better cut. faster—from Exmark. Professional performance. Superior productivity. Legendary durability. And, the first choice of everyone mho makes a living from the land. tAnAruu.exmark.com

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2016 TRENDS that plants will become less nutritious with rising C02 levels) • light, electric, fourwheel vehicles to help farmers carry a ton of cargo FORWARD-THINKING FARMERS ARE . . . • using no-till cover

ON THE FARM

crops and diverse

Healthy soils are a key advantage for farmers dealing with increasingly unpredictable weather. The better they manage the soil, the less they need to spend on fertilizers, pesticides, and fuel. -Helen Husher, spokesperson, Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education

rotations to improve soil quality and control erosion • converting abandoned urban factories into stateof-the-art greenhouses • connecting with

COMING SOON • robot “bees” that

grocery shoppers by

pollinate crops

demos

doing in-store cooking

• audio pest control: Plants “hear” the man¬

BY THE NUMBERS

made sound of insects chewing vibrations and release chemicals to protect themselves. • drones to detect where

HIGH TECH, HERE NOW • DNA analysis to help

crops may need replanting

ranchers learn which

or pesticide application

cattle will produce

• plants with leaves that

large numbers of the

grow at an angle: They

tastiest steaks

absorb less sunlight and

• nutrient-dense varieties

offset climate change.

of veggies (data suggest

10

42% of organic farms sell directly to consumers (compared to 7% of all U.S. farms) 2,398: number of greenhouse acres now in production in Ontario

17.3 million: number of Christmas trees harvested annually

Photos: Thinkstock

Forecasts, facts, and fascinating ideas that define our life and times COMPILED BY STACEY KUSTERBECK

'Grocerant".

"*“'wSWe;os both Grocery and

^ Waurant • sitting at communal tables for face-to-face interaction • sharing tastes from companions’ plates

GOOD EATS Specialty food stores and supermarkets are becoming the new community centers. -Denise Purcell, senior director, Specialty Food Association

BY THE NUMBERS 12% of Americans eat dessert after supper

1,128: number of PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT... • airline food delivered

• butter tastings as appetizers, to sample flavors and types

to the home • frozen yogurt in edible dried-fruit wrappers (to reduce packaging waste) • smaller portions (for better health)

EATING IS MORE SOCIAL: WE'RE . . . • meeting and dining at food halls (not courts) -Darcy Lenz, assistant food editor, Cooking Light

APP-SOLUTELY APPETIZING! Restaurants want to give diners reason to post photos of meals on social media: "Look for architectonic creations on plates that beg to be photographed and shared. Chefs are realizing that the look of food is as important as taste." -Daniel Levine, director, The Avant-Guide Institute

Photos: Thinkstock

snacks the average adult eats each year

91% of us snack daily 205: number of weekday breakfasts eaten at home per person per year, on average, as this becomes the family meal

FLAVORS WE'RE CRAVING • “smoke” in butter, vegetables, and cocktails • heritage breeds of chicken (firmer and stronger-flavored) (continued) 11

2016 TRENDS

BY THE NUMBERS 42 million: number of U.S. households that grow food in a home or community garden 3 million: number of community gardens in the United States $3.5 billion: amount Americans spend on food gardening

GARDENING People are seeing public parks, botanical gardens, and arboreta as the cultural hearts of their cities— places for serenity, learning, and great local food. -Casey Sclar, executive director, American Public Gardens Association

NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS GROWING . . . Vegetables: 32 million Herbs: 2.0 million

PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT... • “tablescaping,” with pansy and petunia centerpieces and candelabras • planting new, adaptable tree varieties

in Florida and southern California • small, lightweight,

Berries: 12 million -National Gardening Association

greenhouse “community gardens” in vacant urban areas • backyard “pub-sheds”

• Tamarixia radiata, natural predator of the

SPACE-SAVERS

“yellow dragon” fly that

• Park Seeds’ picks:

is ravaging orange groves

‘Mega Bite’ tomatoes, ‘Spacemaster 80’ cukes,

temperatures from the teens to more than 100°F • mildew-resistant impatiens and basil

INCREDIBLE EDIBLES • drinks flavored with homegrown herbs:

APP-SOLUTELY AMAZING!

‘Norli’ snow peas,

apps that alert when fruit and veggies are ripe

HARDWORKING PLANTS

cucumber and mint;

• multipellet seeds that

stevia leaves

produce several varieties

• Asian greens: bok choy

of plants

for crunchy stems and

• ‘EnduraScape’, a new

cabbagelike taste; mizuna

verbena that tolerates

for a peppery, spicy

Internet-connected indoor hydroponic crops tracked remotely by growers 12

Fruit trees: 14 million

‘Bull Dog’ okra

lemonade with thyme or lavender; water with hot teas sweetened with

Photo: John Peden/New York Botanical Garden

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25

2016 TRENDS

TRAVEL TRENDS • Battery stations will enable electric scooters to swap out expended batter¬

OUR CULTURAL LANDSCAPE

ies for fully charged ones.

Web sites are rating doctors, professors, restaurant servers, boyfriends, and more. Even housecleaners and taxicab drivers are rating you, their customers -Daniel Levine, director, The Avant-Guide Institute

• Drivers will swivel and converse face-to-face with passengers. • Rear auto windows will project digital landscapes

PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT...

Lab FeederWatch and

• traveling uphill on skis for a better workout

“citizen scientists” report and compare data

• luminescent trees

SAFETY FIRST

replacing streetlights

• for female cyclists:

• basketballs that

reflective accents on ballet

“coach,” encouraging

flats, scarves, sequin tops,

players to move faster and play better

and headbands

• backyard bird sightings:

tive accents on blazers,

as part of Cornell

shirts, and trousers

University’s Ornithology

BY THE NUMBERS 75% of Americans think

that it's fine for women to propose marriage (5% actually do so) sales of drones 26

over boring real ones, for

NestWatch programs,

passengers’ amusement.

BACK TO THE FUTURE • Vintage airplanes are being renovated and used as hotels.

• for male cyclists: reflec¬

PEDAL POWER UP • bike pedals with GPS (so that if a bike’s stolen, it’s still not “lost”)

• Groups of people at

• wheel sensors that warn

coffeehouses,

cyclists of potholes

bars, and bookstores

• stationary bikes to

are keying together on

produce backup power for

manual typewriters.

homes and brewing beer

(continued on page 30)

Photos, from top: Thinkstock; courtesy of Hotel Costa Verde

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac

27

2016 TRENDS

MONEY MATTERS There is a whole range of companies offering you the ability to share, usually for a price, anything from a meal to your bicycle to your clothes. -Kaushik Ramakrishnan, business development manager, Ericsson

PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT... • gardeners providing for their plants’ care in their wills

• undertaking

gardening, cooking • renting or owning in communal settings, getting a room and bath,

balances and sends alerts when the bank is moved

with group kitchens, living area, workspaces,

• crowdfunding sites

and recreational facilities

raising money to send a

• offering the public

drone to scour the woods for Sasquatch (Big Foot)

use of our (urban) toilet for a fee

successful businesses

$3.40t average amount children receive for each lost tooth

activities: reading,

• wired piggy banks with an app that tracks

• hobbies that become

BY THE NUMBERS

inexpensive leisure-time

58% of U.S. taxpayers say that completing a federal tax return is easy

7% of Americans would pay more taxes if returns were easier to fill out

NEW HABITS • buying merchandise with an eye toward reselling after using, thus being

• becoming “mini¬

sure to keep the manuals,

entrepreneurs”: “Having

packaging, and receipts:

lots of ways of supple¬

“Online selling has

menting income gives

opened up the door to ...

people a sense of freedom

temporary ownership.”

and empowerment.” • going cashless yet

• valuing multipurpose

spending faster: “Apps

WE'RE MAKING ENDS MEET BY . . .

items: “Consumers want

• giving away unwanted

component, products

stuff on Web sites, earning

with a charity tie-in,

credits to get other

and clothing that serves a

people’s stuff at no cost

technological need.”

28

4,900: tons of worn-out bills recycled by the U.S. Federal Reserve annually

are making it painless to

food with a medicinal

pay—until you get the bill.” -Emerita Kit Yarrow, professor of psychology and marketing, Golden Gate University

(continued) Photos, from top: Jim Henderson/Wikimedia; Thinkstock

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2016

The Old Farmer’s Almanac

29

2016 TRENDS

• glass signage from Aetna Insurance Company, with mother-of-pearl inlay: $51,300 • Superman’s debut comic book: $3.2 million

FINDING FAVOR • agricultural artifacts: “The more moving parts and the better the quality of craftsmanship, the

COLLECTORS' CORNER

better they do.”

The market will see stronger and renewed interest in items relating to great triumphs in freedom throughout history.

-Andrew P. Truman, head of the antique advertising, toy, and doll division, James D. Julia, Auctioneers

-Gary Piattoni, appraiser, Evanston, Illinois

• old scientific gadgets:

HEATING UP

“Science and technology

• UFO memorabilia:

auctions are now at most major auction houses.”

photographs, posters, and souvenirs produced

-Antoinette Rahn, online editor, Antique Trader

for shops in Roswell,

• early explorers’ chron¬

New Mexico

icles: “Some journals

• Wheaties boxes

HOT STUFF

autographed by the

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Items relating to the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence and Constitution signers, the 1876 Centennial, the Bill of Rights, women's suffrage, the fall of the Berlin Wall, India's independence, and the Magna Carta

30

settlers heading west have sold for a lot of money.” -Piattoni

COLLECT 'EM FOR LOVE, NOT MONEY • Hummel, Roseville, cut glass, china, and linens

WANTED TO BUY

-Piattoni

and diaries of women

• Art & Crafts decor -Timothy Gordon, Missoula, Montana-based appraiser

■

Stacey Kusterbeck, a frequent contributor to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, writes about popular culture from New York State.

Photos, from top: Library of Congress/Wikimedia; Wikimedia

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac

31

Photo: ImageBroker/SuperStock; inset, Westend61/SuperStock

33

Gardening

STARTED FARMING IN THE NEW WORLD, THEY STARTED BREWING BEER. IN THE LATE 1 500S, THOMAS HERIOT, ONE OF THE FIRST VIRGINIA SETTLERS, WROTE IN HIS JOURNAL THAT “WE MADE OF THE SAME IN THE COUNTRY SOME Mault, whereof was brewed as good Ale as was to be desired. So LIKEWISE BY THE HELPE OF HOPS, THEREOF MAY BE MADE AS GOOD BEERE.” The

quest

RANKS

OF

for

HOME

good

beer

BREWERS

HERBS. The GOAL, OFTEN,

and

WHO

ale

RAISE

perseveres

THEIR

OWN

in

HOPS,

the

growing

GRAINS,

AND

IS TO BREW BEER OF a PARTICULAR FLAVOR.

The most common plant in a brewer’s garden, hops have an intoxicating effect even before being brewed into alcohol. The plant contains an oil that acts as a mild sedative. This was supposedly dis¬ covered when ancient harvesters dozed off during their labors. Hops-filled pil¬ lows are said to help cure insomnia and enhance the lucidity of dreams.

tNJOPS But the plants certainly aren’t sleepers. Known by the scientific name Humulus lupulus (the second word means “small wolf’ and honors its hardiness and te¬ nacity), hops are vigorous growers that can soar up to a foot a day, topping out at 15 to 20 feet in height if conditions are right. The perennial vines love to climb and can shade porches or cover ugly util¬ ity poles. A simple string trellis provides enough support to guide the vines up the sides of a house, since they climb with¬ out digging into walls for support. IN THE TRADITIONAL MANNER,

34

Dozens of varieties of hops are avail¬

A CULTIVATED HOP PLANT

able in North America and used in dif¬

GROWS UP A HOP-POLE.

ferent combinations by brewers seeking Photo: ImageBroker/SuperStock

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35

Amaranth (left) and sorghum in autumn at sunset (right)

to find the right flavor. ‘Cascade’, de¬ veloped by Oregon State University and best for brewing American-style ale, is a

more important role for grains is visual. Many are tall, dramatic plants that can

favorite because of its hardiness across

hold up well in a lush green garden domi¬ nated by hops. Amaranth adds a nutty fla¬

the country. ‘Perle’, another backyard variety, is popular for flavoring German-

vor to a beer’s taste, while its large, tow¬ ering, bronze-to-burgundy seed heads

style lagers and pilsners.

make a bold statement to the eye. Sorghum, popular in South African beer, has spec¬

mMWMMm GRAINS Grain, another important beer compo¬ nent, is often overlooked by gardeners because some beer recipes demand more than can be grown easily in a backyard.

tacular orange/red or black and white seed heads. The kernels of ‘Black Aztec’ com mature to a blue/black color and are used to make “chicha,” a Pemvian com beer.

(Think barley, rye, and wheat.) Also, the

Hl^ii AM© FRUIT

crop requires threshing and mashing to

The other major components of a brew¬

produce the extract needed for beer. (If

er’s garden are the herbs and/or fruit

it’s these grains that you seek, contact

used to flavor beers. Many are readily fa¬

a home-brewer supplier.) Some people

miliar to gardeners: Thyme, licorice, gin¬

committed to backyard brew-gardens de¬

ger, and Saint-John’s-wort are common.

velop recipes using smaller amounts of

Brewers often experiment with herbs,

grain for flavoring.

although caution here is advised. Some

From a gardener’s perspective, the 36

traditional brewing herbs such as tansy Photos, from left: age fotostock/SuperStock; Lisa Kyle Young/Media Bakery

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Gardening and wormwood are mildly toxic. Other historic recipes will not taste right to modem beer drinkers. Often these beers do not include hops, and the results can be too strong for modem tastes. More palatable recipes are provided in The Homebrewer’s Garden (Storey Publishing, 1998), written by brothers Joe and Dennis Fisher. The ingredients include pumpkin, blackberries, and rasp¬ berries, as well as dandelions for use in both a bitter and a stout. “We really like horehound beer and heather ale as well,” says Dennis. “But,” finishes Joe, “our fa¬

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41

Gardening

pilot plan This design (opposite) for a fenced gar¬ den in full sun measures approximately 16x12 feet and uses a total of 16 different kinds of plants and four 5x3-foot raised beds. Amaranth grows in three half-barrel planters. At the entrance, big pots contain hops that clamber over a trellis. A second trellis, the wall of a house, or a high fence contains the garden on the opposite side. O ‘Cascade’ hops (Humulus lupulus), 2 plants © ‘Perle’ hops (H. lupulus), 4 plants © ‘Excelsior’ barley (Hordeum vulgare), xh pound of seeds © Amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus), 6 plants © Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), 2 plants © Blackberries (Rubus spp.), 6 plants © Horehound (Marrubium vulgare), 3 plants © Basil (Ocimum basilicum), 6 plants © Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), 4 plants 0 Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), 4 plants © Sage (Salvia officinalis), 4 plants © Heather (Calluna vulgaris), 4 plants © Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), 6 plants © Bee balm (Monarda didyma), 4 plants © ‘Black Aztec’ com (Zea mays), 9 plants © ‘Bloody Butcher’ com (Z. mays), 9 plants

■

George Homsy is an assistant professor in the De¬ partment of Public Administration at Binghamton (N.Y.) University. Through embarking on semiorganized beer-tasting excursions, he frequents the growing number of breweries and brewpubs sprouting up throughout New York State.

42

Photo: Images Etc. Ltd./Exactostock/SuperStock

Gardening TRELLIS, WALL OF HOUSE, OR HIGH FENCE

‘PERLE’ HOPS

AMARANTH

‘EXCELSIOR’ BARLEY

AMARANTH

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AMARANTH

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HEATHER

NOT TO SCALE

‘BLACK AZTEC’ CORN

‘PERLE’ HOPS

‘PERLE’ ‘BLOODY BUTCHER’ CORN HOPS

Photos: 1,2,7,9,11,13: H. Zell/Wikimedia; 3: USDA/ARS; 4: age fotostock/SuperStock; 5: Thinkstock; 6: Biberi/Wikimedia; 8: Mikrolit/Wikimedia; 10: Kurt Stiiber/Wikimedia; 12: Willow/Wikimedia; 14: Karelj/Wikimedia; 15: Wikimedia; 16: courtesy of Seed Savers Exchange

43

TRY YOUR HAND AT THE ANCIENT ART OF GRAFTING TO DIVERSIFY A HARVEST OR EXTEND THE FLOWERING SEASON.

Photo: Friedrich StrauSs/G \P Photos

ELSTAR AND GOLDEN DELICIOUS ARE TWO HEALTHY APPLE VARIETIES GRAFTED ONTO ONE ROOTSTOCK.

Photo: Visions Premium/GAP Photos

ONE LILAC BUSH WITH TWO DIFFERENT BLOOM COLORS

he idea of harvesting Golden Delicious, Jona¬

Most fruit and nut trees and many flow¬ ering shrubs can be grafted successfully.

than, and Granny Smith

The process is simple even if you are a

apples from the same tree seems exotic. Similarly, having long-lived

novice gardener, and the results can be fun.

blooms on your lilac or camellia bush in the spring might seem like a daydream.

must be healthy and compatible with the scion. Generally, this means that you

But you can have both! You can achieve

want to graft matching plants—in this

these effects by grafting the plants: A single apple tree can have several different

case, an apple scion to an apple stock or

Just remember that the stock plant

a lilac scion to a lilac stock.

varieties on separate branches. A lilac bush can have both early and midseason blooms or one bush with a variety of colors.

A TEMPTING APPLE Many gardeners start by grafting apples.

Grafting has been practiced for centu¬

Apples graft easily, and the many variet¬

ries (the ancient Greeks did it!), and the

ies available can provide satisfying re¬

methods have not changed much. The

sults. In a small space, a dwarf or semi¬

parts from two or more plants are joined

dwarf stock works well. The cleft graft

so that they grow to become one plant: A

(see page 48) works best for older estab¬

woody twig or branch from the new ad¬

lished apple trees, while the whip graft is

dition, called a scion, is securely spliced

good for small trees or small branches on larger trees.

to a compatible host plant, called the stock or rootstock. The practice enables you to develop unique and varied plants

LILACS TO LOVE

for your garden or orchard, and it’s a

Lilac blooming season is short, so you

boon for small-space gardeners.

can extend it by grafting early-season

46

Photo: John Swithinbank/GAP Photos

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Gardening

CLEFT GRAFTING

CLEFT GRAFTING ON LARGE BRANCHES

and midseason varieties onto one bush. Lilacs are a bit harder to graft than ap¬

the cleft graft is one of the most popu¬ lar. The stock should be 1 to 4 inches in

ples because they grow more slowly. However, many folks have been very

diameter. It can be the main stem of the

successful with a little work and some

ly two are used) should be about !4 inch in diameter and have at least three or

patience, and you can be, too. Lilacs respond well to cleft grafting. Grafting a lilac scion onto an already healthy lilac stock works best. While some gardeners have successfully graft¬

stock or a large branch. The scion (usual¬

four leaf buds. Usually a straight branch about 6 to 8 inches long works well. 1. Using a sharp saw, remove a piece of

ed lilac scions to privet stock (a shrub

the stem or branch of the stock, leaving a clean cut.

generally used for hedges), grafting a

2 Make a cut (the cleft) in the stock

lilac to any other tree or bush, such as a

1 to 2 inches deep, perpendicular to the sawn end.

camellia or magnolia, will not work.

.

.

3 Taper the end of one or two scions DIY: BASIC CLEFT GRAFTING

into a long wedge shape. Gently pry apart

The best time to graft is early spring—

scion into the cleft. A clefting tool, sold at

April and May in northern regions—

many garden centers, works best, but you

when the plants are still dormant but

can use any flat tool to pry apart the cleft.

getting ready to grow. Scions should be

4 Insert the scion so that the cambium

young and healthy. New growth from

layer of the scion comes into contact

last season usually works best. Since the

with the cambium layer of the stock. Pay

the cleft and insert the tapered end of the

.

scion is a living plant, harvest it care¬

attention to the position of the scions.

fully. Use a clean, sharp knife or shears.

The cambium layer that lies just under

While there are many types of grafts,

the bark is the actively growing part of

48

Illustration: Kim Kurki

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac

49

Gardening the tree or twig. It is where the scion and stock will fuse to become one plant.

.

5 After the scions are inserted and po¬ sitioned properly, remove the tool and allow the cleft to close around the scions.

.

6 Seal the entire grafted area with graft¬ ing wax or grafting paint. You want to keep water and pests out and also protect the area from drying out. Grafting paints or paintlike sealants that are painted onto the graft union are more popular these days because they are much easier to use than waxes.

.

7 You may need to bind the scion to the stock to keep it in place. Most nurseries sell grafting tape that is designed to hold the grafted sections, but common elec¬ trical tape or even strips of rubber also work. Remember to remove the tape or

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As you gain experience and confidence in the grafting process, there are a number of different grafting techniques that you may want to try: Bark grafts, where the scion is inserted under a flap of bark on the stock, are used with large-diameter stocks. Splice grafts join a scion and stock of the same diameter. In a whip graft (also called a whip-and-tongue graft), an interlocking tongue from the scion is inserted into a groove in the stock. Saddle grafts are used to form a bridge over the damaged area of a stock.

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binding once the graft takes hold (usu¬ ally after 3 to 4 weeks) so that it does not restrict the growth of the grafted section.

A BIT ABOUT BUD GRAFTING Budding is a special form of grafting in which the scion is simply a single mature leaf bud. Budding is often used in nurs¬ eries for fruit tree propagation. Apples and lilacs both respond well to budding. The advantage to budding is that it can be done in the summer because the buds are cut from shoots of the current sea¬ son’s growth. The scion bud is inserted under a bark flap cut on the stock.

SCION SOURCES There are many ways to get clippings to use as scions. Check with friends or relatives who are gardeners. Perhaps you can trade a cutting from one of your plants for a cutting from one of theirs. Establish connections with your local nursery or garden center manager, who may allow you to take cuttings. Check with local orchards or farms to see about collecting cuttings when they prune. In some areas, nurseries or garden clubs sponsor scion exchange events. You will rarely achieve 100 percent suc¬ cess with grafting. Some grafts will fail even when you have done everything right, Visit our Web site at:

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but do not despair. If your first attempts do not produce the results that you want, keep trying. With practice and persistence, you can soon become a proficient grafter and enjoy the fruit of your labor. ■ Ron Engeldinger has been gardening in Oregon for about 35 years, growing mainly apples, pears, berries, and vegetables.

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac

53

Nature DRIFTERS

MARVELOUS

:

V

JOURNEYS MADE BY SEEDS Some fly on the wind, dome hitch a ride, dome float, and a few become enflamed.

Bcujwood

BY CYNTHIA VAN HAZINGA ILLUSTRATIONS BY KIM KURKI

Many plants, even those that we consider inva¬ sive, must set seed to survive as a species. How plants disperse their seeds is one of nature’s most fascinating adventure stories. Come along for the ride and discover a few of the means and methods.

W

Maple THE DRIFTERS ind, with the help of gravity, is the most common means of seed dis¬

persal, especially for small, light seeds. Witchweed (Striga asiatica) produces one of the smallest seeds in nature, and it is easily transported by wind (or water). Orchid seeds, so minute that they resemble dust, and the graceful, plumed achenes of the common dandelion (Ta¬ raxacum officinale) also float in the air. If con¬ ditions are right, dandy achenes may fly as far as 500 miles. Some plumed seeds, like those of milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)—which bears its brood in banana-shape pods that split to release their tufts—fly farther than winged ones (think of

54

FLOATERS

HITCHHIKERS

EXPLODERS I

Jewelweed

Yellow Flag Burdock

_

Sycamore Berried Witch Hazel Willow

Mistletoe Coconut Horoe Chedtnut

Bur-reed

55

Nature The speed at which any of these travels

maple trees). Tumbleweed can produce up to 250,000 seeds. These are dispersed

depends on the height of its parent and

as weed tumbles, driven by the wind.

the wind velocity, among other things.

Many plants that produce large seeds hold them in aerodynamically designed pods or vessels. Seeds with only one ter¬ minal wing, such as those of lime and ash trees, fall like spinning torpedoes.

W

THE FLOATERS

ater dispersal is most effec¬ tive at dispersing seeds when

Seeds with two wings glide: Maple tree

a body of water, whether a

seeds, or samaras, spin like helicopter blades; basswood seeds are carried in

rivulet or an ocean, is moving and the

bracts with “parachutes”; tree-of-heaven pods have “propeller” wings; and sweet gum stores its winged seeds in a ball.

these are fruit with seeds), mangroves, and seeds of other tropical trees com¬

(Get it? “Gum ball.”) True yams (Di-

tada gigas) have been known to travel

oscorea) are climbers with thin, papery seeds with wings.

on water from Africa, Australia, or South America to land in Europe!

seed is buoyant. Coconuts (remember,

monly float on sea tides. Sea beans (En-

Freshwater travelers include yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus), water mint (the calyx also clings to animal fur), tiny foxglove, willow (in capsules), cotton¬ wood, and sycamore, which all produce fluffy and buoyant seeds. These can travel great distances before they wash ashore and germinate—or not. For ex¬ ample, water lily seeds sink immediate¬ ly and settle on the bottom, where they sprout. Sedge and rush seeds also sink, but float to the surface when they be¬ come small plants. Some floating fruit, especially legumes, have seeded pods made super-buoyant with trapped air;

Did You Know?

eventually, the pods decay to release

The invasive tree of heaven

the seeds or are rubbed open as they

(Allanthud altiunma) was |

introduced in North America

tumble along in a brook or river. Many of the light, corky, seedlike

as an ornamental in

fruit of the carrot family float easily on

|

Pennsylvania in 1784. Turbulent

streams, some for several months. Seeds

|

winds have been known to

of some of the gourd family, which owe

|

carry its seeds over 1,475 feet.

their buoyancy to their light, corky struc¬ ture, have a similar habit.

56

(continued)

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac

57

Nature pounds or more, is too heavy to float, but it has been transported by men and replanted. (Its archaic name, Lodoicea callypige, comes from the Greek words meaning “beautiful rump” because an¬ cient sailors who came upon it on the beach believed it to be a woman’s dis¬ embodied buttocks.)

M

THE HITCHHIKERS erely by going about their business, birds and animals

serve as agents of seed distri¬ bution; seeds, by design or attraction, be¬ Invasive aquatic bull horn (Trapa nataru) is a rare species in the water chestnut family. Its 214>-inch-diameter seeds resembling a bull’s head are transported by animals, including Canada geese; Fishing nets; wooden boats; and other vehicles.

come hitchhikers. For example, burdock (Arctium sp.) seeds have hooked bracts, and cleavers (Galium aparine; a mem¬ ber of the Madder family), aka “Velcro plant,” have hooked hairs, or bristles, that cling to animal skins. The seeds of both Pittosporum, named from the Greek for “pitch-seed” because of their characteristic stickiness, and mistletoe are tacky enough when mature to fix onto a bird’s wing or beak.

The seeds of the sea rocket (Cakile

More frequently, hungry birds and other

maritima), a member of the mustard family, reside in twin pods resembling a

animals—especially bats and rodents, but also reptiles and other mammals—trans¬

two-stage missile. One pod remains at¬ tached to the parent and produces a new

port, hoard, eat, and excrete seeds. Birds

plant in place. The other breaks off and

fruit and berries, which are often alluring¬

gets carried away on a wave.

ly bright red, black, blue, or purple. Pro¬

Unlike most palms, the coco de mer

swallow seeds while feeding on fleshy

tective coatings prevent such seeds from

palm (Lodoicea maldivica), the larg¬

disintegration during digestion. Cherry

est seed-bearing plant in the world,

pits, for example, pass through a bird’s

seems doomed to stay in its home, the

system undigested. In the northern forests

Seychelles Islands: Its seed, at up to 40

of South America’s Patagonia, the mousy

I have great faith in a deed. Convince me that you have a deed there, and I am prepared to expect wonderd. —Henry David Thoreau, American writer (1817-62)

58

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Nature “little frog” because it prefers moist habitats—have seeds that stick to the plumage and feet of waterbirds.

S

THE EXPLODERS ome seedpods and ripe flowers have the energy and structure to

scatter themselves, even shoot¬ ing seeds a good distance. Many are legumes, laburnum, or gorse; others in¬ clude knotgrass, lady’s slippers, violets, and vetches. The seed cases of jewelweed (aka touch-me-not, lmpatiens spp.) and Chinese wisteria dry so thoroughly that the slightest pressure, even a light wind, causes them to burst and broadcast their seeds through the air—the former,

DO You Know? Roasted seeds of cleavers, aka bedstraw or goosegrass,

a couple of meters; the latter, accord¬ ing to one source, as far as 80 feet. The

can be used as a coffee substitute (the coffee plant also is a member of the Madder family). --- --

. _

,

cranesbill geranium’s seed capsule has a beaklike column, hence the name. When .

ripe, oxalis’s small, cylindrical capsule

marsupial monito del monte (Spanish for

suddenly explodes, sowing its seeds up to 13 feet away.

“monkey of the mountain”) ingests the seeds of the mistletoe species Tristerix corymbosus and later eliminates them onto the bark of host trees. Plants do not typically produce foodsource seeds in great quantities because these seeds tend to be relatively large, heavy, and thus energetically expensive to produce. Seed dispersal is not the domain of terrestrial creatures alone. Aquatic plants—for example, invasive bur-reed (Sparganium), the common name of

With specially shaped flowers, splashcup plants such as Chrysosplenium and Mazus actually flip their seeds—some¬ times more than 3 feet—in response to the force of raindrops falling on their petals. “Bird’s nest” fungi (which reproduce with spores, not seeds) also use this method, as do some kalanchoes, which can shoot their seeds as far as 5 feet,

J

(continued)

Did You Know?

which refers to its spiky flower head,

Researchers believe that an edible protein coating on

and water crow-foot (Ranunculus aquatilis), an aquatic buttercup whose

some seeds serves as a reward for ants that cache them.

family name derives from the Latin for 60

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Nature Witch hazel’s two-chambered capsules announce the expulsion of their two shiny

black

seeds

with an

audible

“snap” (hence its other common name: the snapping hazelnut) before project¬ ing them 20 to 30 feet. Black walnuts’ spongy hulls bounce and roll when they hit the ground, while horse chestnuts’ hulls split when they crash on terra firma, allowing the seeds to roll away. Dry poppy seed heads have little holes around the top that allow the small seeds to be thrown out (think of a salt shaker)

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when the wind blows. The largest plant with an explosive dispersal method is probably the tropical evergreen sandbox tree (Hura crepitans). It’s orange-size fruit burst with a popping sound (hence the nickname “monkey’s dinner bell”) and throw their seeds at speeds of up to 230 feet per second. The smallest plant in this category may

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I popped from a jewelweed seedpod!

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Nature

[

DO You Know?

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Some scientists split the mechanics of seed dispersal into

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Food

FINALLY GET THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE

f*

"You don't know beans!" So goes an old idiom for ignorance. And when it comes to beans, you probably don't eat them very often, either. Surveys indicate that Amer¬ icans eat only half a cup of cooked beans per week, on average. But this could change. The Unit¬ ed Nations General Assembly has declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses in an effort to in¬ crease both knowledge about and consumption of beans and their botanical relatives, known collec¬ tively as the pulse crops, (continued)

m ■feast

'v.ass

m

Photo: Media Bakcn

Clinical research has shown that pulse foods may help to prevent heart disease and other chronic diseases.

Food You probably already know the pulses,

and processors when he adds, “They’re

crops in the bean and pea family (the legumes) grown for their mature, dry

fantastic crops to work with—ancient

seeds. In North America, the term gener¬

the future of the global food supply.”

ally applies to dry beans and peas, len¬ tils, and chickpeas. The name derives from an ancient Greek word for thick

Soil Loves Pulses

soup or porridge. “I’m bullish on

chickpeas,”

says

George Vandemark, a USDA geneticist engaged in conventional breeding ef¬

crops that are going to play a big role in

Pulse crops use about half the nonrenew¬ able energy inputs of other agricultural crops and a fraction of the water. “Their sustainability has largely to do with their ability to ‘fix’ nitrogen gas from

forts to improve the mineral and fatty-

the air into plant-specific forms,” says Hans

acid profiles of chickpeas. He could be speaking for pulse breeders, farmers.

Kandel, an agronomist with North Dakota State University Cooperative Extension.

“Nitrogen is the common limiting factor

TOP PULSE PRODUCERS

in most cultivated crops, and nitrogen

■ North Dakota leads in U.S. pulse production; other state sources are Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, and Washington.

fertilizers are a high-energy input.”

■ Canada dominates global lentil and dry pea production, with most of it centered in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

American farmers who include pulses in

■ India leads in chickpeas.

before planting to ensure optimum ni¬ trogen fixation.

■ Brazil grows the most dry beans.

“You have to have the right species of bacteria in the soil for the crop to fix ni¬ trogen,” he adds, noting that most North their crop rotations “inoculate” the seeds with the appropriate bacterial strain

Besides tolerating drought well, pulses 66

Photo: FoodCollection/SuperStock

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"All pulses provide an excellent source of protein, fiber, potassium, and folate, as well as many essential minerals." People Should Love Pulses “Pulse foods are low in fat and sodium, low-glycemic, and gluten-free,” says Ju¬ lie Garden-Robinson, a nutrition specialist with North Dakota State University Ex¬ tension. “All pulses provide an excellent source of protein, fiber, potassium, and folate, as well as many essential minerals.

COOKING METHODS ■ Pressure cookers, which are enjoying a comeback, are ideal for cooking pulses. They save hours, reducing cooking time to minutes. Plus, many say that pressure-cooked pulses have better taste and texture than stove top and slow cooker methods. Dry or presoaked beans can be put under pressure; follow the manufacturer’s

“Clinical research has shown that pulse foods help to manage blood glucose lev¬ els and lower both total and LDL [‘bad’] cholesterol, and may help to prevent heart disease, obesity, asthma, some types of cancer, and other chronic diseases.” Gram for gram, pulses are the least ex¬ pensive proteins. “Although pulse foods lack certain essential amino acids that hu¬

instructions.

mans need to make ‘complete proteins,’

■ Hot-soak dry beans, chickpeas (above), and whole dry peas: Boil them in water for 3 minutes, then let them soak for up to 24 hours. Pour off the soaking water, rinse, and cook in fresh water as directed, or until tender (tenderness time varies with the age of the dried seed and other factors). Lentils and split peas do not require soaking.

eating a wide diversity of foods each day that include whole grains, nuts, and veg¬ etables, as well as pulses, will supply ad¬ equate protein,” she adds. Cooked pulses are the only food group to qualify by USDA standards as either a protein or a vegetable (e.g., with chick¬ en, lentils “count” as a veggie; with a vegetarian meal, they count as a protein).

benefit growers in other ways, too, such

Gardeners Can Love Pulses

as by ...

Green beans and fresh peas are popular

1 improving the soil, e.g., through

home garden crops. Growing dry beans

releasing compounds that “feed” ben¬

or peas is another story. Gardeners face

eficial soil microorganisms or that make

a long season, weeds, animal and insect

nutrients more available to other crops ■ increasing soil biodiversity

pests, and plant diseases. If all goes well, a

S breaking the cycles of plant disease,

only 2 to 3 pounds of seeds. However, if

weeds, and insect pests

you have time and space, dry beans can be

■ increasing the yields of nonlegume

satisfying to grow; plus, you can try varie¬

crops planted the following season

ties not available in stores.

68

25-foot row of dry beans or peas will yield

(continued)

Photo; Elena Elisseeva/SuperStock

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Food

Home Cooks Love Pulses These versatile legumes can be as quick or complicated to prepare as you want, depending on the dish. Here are a few recipes; find more at Almanac.com.

Cranberry Bean Soup If desired, add 1 to 2 capo of chopped kale or cabbage and an additional 1 cup of water. 2 cups dry cranberry beans

* Soak the beans and peas overnight in water to

1 cup whole dry peas

cover. Drain and place in a soup pot with 3 quarts

1 meaty ham bone

of water, ham bone, bay leaves, and onion. Bring

2 bay leaves

to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer

1 onion, peeled and stuck with 4 cloves

for 2 hours, or until the beans and peas are tender. ■ Remove the bone, chop the meat into small

5 potatoes, peeled and chopped

bits, discard the bone, and return the meat to the

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

pot. Add the potatoes, carrots, leeks, and

4 leeks, white parts only, chopped, or 3 onions, peeled and chopped

garlic. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaves and clove-stuck onion.

3 cloves garlic, minced

■ Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

grated Parmesan cheese

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

70

(continued)

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; food styling. Ana Kelly: prop styling. Jan Gautro

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Food

Quick Fixes

if yHi

I love a warm or cold lentil salad, marinated in my choice of dressing and surrounded by roasted vegetables: winter squash, brussels sprouts or cabbage wedges, red onions, and maybe sweet potatoes in fall and winter; asparagus, onions, zucchini strips, and peppers in spring and summer. Cheese is optional, but whole-grain flatbread, for me, is not. Another favorite is split-pea salad. Cook the peas (green and yellow mixed look

Hummus

pretty) in water with

Uoe cu) a dip or op read it on bread. 1 can (20 ounces) chickpeas or 2V2 cups cooked V4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, minced or roasted 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 tablespoons tahini

■ Drain the chickpeas and reserve the liquid. ■ In a blender or food processor, combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and tahini. Blend until smooth. Add enough reserved

a bay leaf until soft. Drain and remove bay leaf. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Dress the cooled peas with a slightly thinned basil pesto or a garlicky vinaigrette with honey mustard.

liquid to make a creamy

Serve on a bed of

consistency. Taste and add salt

salad greens. This

and pepper, if desired.

preparation would

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

■ Transfer to a bowl, drizzle

work well with any

with the remaining olive oil, and

of the cooked

fresh minced parsley, for garnish

garnish with parsley. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 2 cups.

72

(continued)

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; food styling. Ana Kelly; prop styling, Jan Gautro

pulses, including any of the dozens of different beans. -M.fi.

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BUiaStap/ 73

Peg's Black Bean Brownies Black beano add about 2d grama of protein and 20 grama of fiber to a conventional brownie recipe—and nobody will know! 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed, or 2 cups cooked

■ Preheat the oven to 350°F and

3 eggs

■ Put the first seven ingredients into

V4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.

% cup sugar 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, or IV2 tablespoons olive oil and IV2 tablespoons butter V2 teaspoon baking powder

■ Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan.

pinch of salt

■ Bake for 35 minutes, or until a

V2 cup dark chocolate chips

toothpick inserted into the center

V2 cup chopped walnuts

comes out clean.

-m. b. ■

Margaret Boyles lives in a wood-heated house in central New Hampshire, where she grows vegetables, eats pulse crops, and keeps chickens. 34

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; food styling, Ana Kelly; prop styling, Jan Gautro

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac

75

Food

Winners in the 2015 Dips and Spreads Recipe Contest Thanks to the hundreds of entrants who made choosing the prize recipients another delicious dilemma. Try these recipes and tell us at Almanac.com/Feedback if you think that they’re winners.

FIRST PRIZE: $250

^/ore/U/ '/u’ djbmacA 16 ounces cream cheese, softened

■ Preheat the oven to 350°F.

1 cup Alfredo sauce

■ In a large bowl, stir together all of the

1

box (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Vi cup chopped artichoke hearts

ingredients until combined. Spoon into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole.

Va cup diced sun-dried tomatoes

■ Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Va cup diced roasted red peppers

Makes 25 servings.

2

cups shredded Italian-blend cheese

lh cup grated Parmesan cheese Va teaspoon Italian seasoning 1

dash hot sauce

-Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

SECOND PRIZE: $150

iSe&tch ^Strata/ PESTO:

FOR PESTO:

2 cups Italian parsley without stems

■ Combine pesto ingredients in a food

3A cup grated Parmesan cheese

processor or blender and process until

1

clove garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil 1

slice bread

V2 teaspoon salt Vi teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

smooth. Add additional oil as necessary to create a smooth paste. FOR FILLING:

■ Mix cream cheese and butter and set aside. ■ Line a deep bowl or container with plastic wrap. Put one-third of the filling on the bottom, followed by one-third of the pesto.

FILLING: 16 ounces cream cheese, softened V2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Repeat the layers two more times. ■ Cover and place in refrigerator. When ready to serve, invert onto a serving dish. Makes 10 to 12 servings. -Nancy Vargas, Sierra Madre, California

(continued) Photos: Becky Luigart-Stayner; food styling. Ana Kelly; prop styling, Jan Gautro

77

THIRD PRIZE: $100

12

ounces cream cheese, softened

cans (6 ounces each) crabmeat, well drained and picked over for shells

2

tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers cup shredded Swiss cheese

3/4

V3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1

teaspoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1

an 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. ■ In a bowl, mix together the cream

3 scallions, chopped 2

■ Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray

cheese, crabmeat, scallions, red peppers, Swiss cheese, Parmesan, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, milk, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. ■ Place crab mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 20 to 25

tablespoon milk

V\ teaspoon garlic powder

minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. ■ Top with almonds and cook for

Vi teaspoon salt

Vs teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2

tablespoons chopped slivered almonds

1

scallion, green part only, chopped, for garnish

5 minutes more. ■ Garnish with chopped green scallions. Makes 25 servings. -Debbie Reid, Clearwater, Florida

ENTER THE 2016 RECIPE CONTEST: SAVORY PIES Got a great savory pie recipe that your family and friends love? It could win! See contest rules on page 271.

78

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; food styling, Ana Kelly; prop styling, Jan Gautro

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac

79

You’re a Gem! Semiprecious facts and folklore about birth stones BY MARTIE MaJOROS • ILLUSTRATIONS BY TlM ROBINSON

JANUARY

!;

FEBRUARY

|

MARCH

GARNET

» )

AMETHYST

| AQIANARINE

History: The word

History: Italian

History: In Latin,

“garnet” comes from the Latin word

Renaissance artist and

aqua means water and

scientist Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

mare means sea.

granatum, meaning pomegranate. In Asia, bullets were made from garnets because

believed that wearing an amethyst could increase intelligence. I

it was believed that they would cause

/

'll 5

Sailors once wore aquamarine stones carved with the image of Neptune, the Roman god of the seas, to protect them during

enemies to bleed more.

their travels.

Source: Garnets form

Source: Aquamarine

in layers of rock deep underground, where

is a type of beryl,

they withstand extreme

from cooling magma

a mineral that forms

temperature variations.

Source: Amethysts

deep inside Earth.

Geologists study

are a type of quartz

Beryl can be found in

garnets to understand

often found in geodes

many colors, ranging

the effects of temperature

amidst cooled lava.

and pressure on surrounding rocks.

Lore: Wearing an

from blue-green to yellow to red.

Lore: Garnets prevent

courage and help to

aquamarine is believed

nightmares, guarantee safe travel, and bring

prevent insomnia.

to alleviate illness.

A dream of receiving

If you dream of an

friendship. If you dream

an amethyst as a gift

aquamarine, you will

of losing a garnet

brings good luck.

soon make new friends.

necklace, unexpected

A dream of giving one

good fortune is in

means you forgive

your future.

the recipient.

80

i

i

amethyst will give you

Lore: Wearing an

Stones: garnet and amethyst, Thinkslock; aquamarine, Mauro Cateb/Wikimedia

Calendar Centuries ago, people believed that certain gemstones had special healing powers, such as being able to cure mental and physical ills at certain times of the year. Today, these amulets are used as ornaments, and every month has associated with it a gem that is the “birthstone” of those born in that month.

>

APRIL DIAMOND

!

MAY )

EMERALD

History: It is believed

History: In the 1700s,

that the first engagement

powdered emeralds

ring that contained a

were sold by chemists to help relieve pain.

i

JUNE

!

PEARL

History: English philosopher Sir Francis

Emeralds were

Bacon (1561-1626) is believed to have eaten a paste of ground

to his fiancee, Mary

favorite gems of Egypt’s Cleopatra and Russia’s

to cure illness.

of Burgundy. Today,

Catherine the Great

diamonds are the most popular choice

Source: Emeralds, like

of stone for an engagement ring.

aquamarine, are a form

Source: Natural pearls are formed inside the shell of oysters when a

of the mineral beryl.

grain of sand or other

diamond was given in 1477 by Archduke Maximilian of Austria

pearls and lemon juice

particle gets inside

Source: Diamond

the shell and causes an irritation. Because

contains tightly formed carbon crystals,

it can’t get rid of the irritating particle, the

making it the hardest

oyster covers it with a smooth, crystalline

mineral on Earth.

Lore: Wearing a

substance called

diamond will protect you

nacre, forming a pearl.

from negative energies Lore: Wearing an

Lore: Pearls are associated with purity,

you will receive

emerald may help to strengthen your

honesty, and calmness. If you dream of a pearl

good financial

memory. If you dream

advice.

of buying an emerald,

ring, expect romance. (continued)

and bring you peace. If you dream of wearing diamond earrings,

{

someone you trust may deceive you.

|

Stones: diamond, emerald and pearl, Thinkstock

\ 81

Calendar

JULY IY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

PERIDOT

SAPPHIRE

ili$(ory: One of the

History: The largest

History: In the 15 th

largest rubies in the

peridot ever found

century, it was thought

world is called the

weighs 319 carats. It is in the Smithsonian Institution in

that holding a sapphire \ near a spider would kill >

Washington, D.C.

it was believed that

“Peace” ruby because it was found in 1919 shortly after World War I ended.

Source: Peridot has been found in volcanic lava in Hawaii and in

it. In the 17th century, holding or wearing sapphires helped you to foretell the future.

meteorites that have fallen to Earth. In the 1700s, a meteorite that landed in Siberia contained many peridot crystals that were large enough to be used in pieces of jewelry.

to help depression.

like rubies, are a form of corundum, the

If you dream that you

second-hardest mineral.

find a peridot while digging in the garden,

Ranging in color from

you will have an

they are found chiefly

unexpected visitor.

in placer deposits.

Lore: Peridot is believed Source: Rubies are a form of corundum t (aluminum oxide); their color may range | from deep blood red ji

to paler rose red.

s Source: Sapphires,

light to dark blue,

Lore: Sapphires are

Lore: If you own a

thought to ease pain

ruby, you will live

and reduce stress. If

in harmony with all

you dream that you are

people and be protected from danger. If you

wearing a sapphire, be warned: You should

dream of a ruby, you

be less impulsive.

will have good luck.

82

(continued)

Stones: ruby, Honored_Member/Shutterstock; peridot, Boykung/Shutterstock; sapphire, Sapphiredge/Wikimedia

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Calendar

OCTOBER

History: In ancient

History: The word

History: In the Middle

“opal” comes from the

Ages (500-1500), topaz was ground into

> Turkey, Tibet, and

a powder and mixed

| stones were attached

Greek word opallios, meaning to see a change in color. Australian aboriginal

5

with wine to guarantee a good night’s sleep.

tribes believed that opals were the Creator’s footprints on Earth.

| Persia, turquoise to horses’ bridles. It was thought that ! the stones protected ‘ the animals from the } ill effects of drinking | cold water when j they were overheated

Source: Opals are a

from exertion.

type of quartz that forms tiny spheres. When light hits the

Source: Turquoise is > found most often in

spheres, the colors of the spectrum

very dry areas where

Source: Topaz is

become visible.

found in igneous rocks

| volcanic activity has occurred.

and sometimes hydrothermal veins.

Lore: It is believed that topaz will help to balance emotions. If you dream of topaz, a problem with which you have been struggling will soon be solved.

Lore: Opals help to control temper and calm nerves. A dream of an opal means that good luck will come.

< turquoise will calm \ « \ and balance emotions. ,< A dream of turquoise { means victory and success. ■ Martie Majoros, whose birthstone is turquoise, writes from the shores of Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont.

J 84

Stones: opal, DPulitzer/Wikimedia; topaz, Rob Lavmsky/iRocks.com/Wikimedia; turquoise. Wikimedia

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac

85

Weather

Polar Jet Subtropical Jet

Subtropical Jet

Polar Jet

IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT THE HEADLINES HAVE TAUGHT US, IT'S THAT THE POLAR VORTEX HAS BECOME A WEATHER CELEBRITY. NEARLY EVERY POLAR JET STREAM WIGGLE DURING RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN CALLED A "POLAR VORTEX" BECAUSE THIS SOUNDS MUCH SCARIER THAN "CURVY JET STREAM " The polar jet stream has been very active

ent mountain ranges. There is even a jet

for a number of years and since 2012 has

stream that occasionally dips down to the

allowed large masses of northern air to

peak of Mt. Everest, allowing the bravest

flow south. What is the jet stream, and why is it

of mountain climbers to feel its chill. The most important jet streams are the

doing this to us? A jet stream is a strong, fast, narrow

high-altitude winds that fonn between

wind that forms when two air masses

■ the tropical air mass around the equator

touch in the stratosphere at about 33,000

the five major global air masses:

feet, or 6 miles above sea level. The

■ the two subtropical air masses, one

greater the difference between the air

north and one south of the tropics

mass temperatures, the stronger, straight-

■ the two polar air masses, one over the

er, and faster the jet stream winds. There are numerous jet streams form¬

Arctic and the other over the Antarctic

African easterly jet that spits tropical de¬

The strongest of these are the polar jets, which form between the frigid polar and

pressions toward us in hurricane season to

warm subtropical air masses (page 88).

smaller barrier jets that zip beside differ¬

These travel at 200 miles per hour, from 4

ing all around the world, from the giant

Illustration sources: opposite, NASA; above, NOAA

87

Weather to IV2 miles above sea level. The weaker subtropical jets, which form between

page 90). They discovered that when its

warm subtropical and hot tropical air

(or “positive”), polar air gets trapped in the high latitudes. The Arctic air grows colder and the area south of the polar

masses, soar at 6 to 10 miles. Both types tend to be long and narrow (roughly 100 to 200 miles in width) and stretch for thou¬ sands of miles around the globe. (The cells shown are patterns of air circulation.) Most North Americans hear only about the polar jet stream that circles around the

North Pole

60°N

winds circling the Arctic are very strong

air mass grows warmer. This happened in 2012, when the AO had one of the most positive readings ever measured. Alaska froze, Fairbanks received 29 feet of snow, and northern Canada recorded

30°N

Equator

Arctic air mass. When it dips south, cold

record low temperatures. Meanwhile,

polar air pours southward with it. The no¬

winter never seemed to arrive in the low¬

torious “polar vortex” is usually just the jet stream veering southeast of the Rocky

er 48 states and spring temperatures and planting arrived 6 weeks early.

Mountains, allowing the polar air mass to flow south and freeze everyone from Chi¬

■ With a weaker jet stream circling the

cago to New Orleans. When the cold air

pole (or “negative” AO; page 90), Arc¬

crashes into warmer, wetter air from the

tic air can escape. As the cold air ex¬

Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, power¬

pands south, it and the winds around it

ful storms slam the coastlines.

interact, reinforcing each other. Both dip

Because the southern surge of the po¬

south and spread across the Canadian

lar jet stream can be disastrous, scien¬

Prairies and the U.S. Midwest. This is

tists are trying to learn how to predict it.

not just a North American event. Whien

Here’s some of what they are learning.

air pressure and temperatures weaken the jet stream, it becomes curvy, pushed

■ Scientists call the behavior of the polar

south by the Arctic air and north by the

Arctic Oscillation (AO;

warmer subtropical air. As it veers south,

jet stream the 88

Illustration source: NOAA

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Weather

then north, then south again, cold air slams Canada and the central and eastern

CURRENT NEWS

United States and then is pushed back by

terns that cause the jet stream to plunge

warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. This causes the jet stream to continue to rip¬

into the eastern United States. These pat¬

ple, as it moves east around the Northern Hemisphere. Where the cold and warm air masses collide, enormous storms bury people in blizzards and floods. Indeed,

Scientists have found two observable pat¬

terns are largely shaped by semiperma¬ nent low-pressure areas in the northern oceans. Scientists can use their measure¬ ments of these air pressures to predict the weather for a few days at a time.

many scientists now claim that most of the recent extreme weather is at least par¬ tially due to the curvy, downright loopy, behavior of the polar jet stream. ■ Because the celebrated polar vortex

PACIFIC NORTH AMERICAN PATTERN (PNA): This pattern is shaped by the strength of the Aleutian Low (south of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands) and the West Coast High (page 92).

weather is created by a weak and waver¬

When the air pressures in both of these

ing jet stream, meteorologists are trying

air masses are strong (or positive), the jet

to understand what shapes the wind cir¬

stream veers north over western North

cling the Arctic. They have discovered

America. The West Coast becomes warm

that the combination of different air

and dry, sometimes as far north as western

pressures and temperatures (particularly

Canada and Alaska. Then the jet stream

the contrast between the polar and sub¬

slams deep into the center and eastern

tropical air mass temperatures), com¬

parts of the continent, bringing Arctic air.

bined with Earth’s rotation, determines the strength of the jet stream.

Typically, the Rocky Mountains, which

90

interrupt the flow of Pacific air, divide Illustration source: NASA

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Weather

PNA: PACIFIC NORTH AMERICAN PATTERN Strong Aleutian

Strong Western High

.faailteiWW Illustration source: The Weather Centre

western warmth and eastern chill.

winds are weaker and wander north and

When the two air pressures are weak (or

south. Cold Arctic air can slam the U.S.

negative), the jet stream and cool air drift into the West and the rest of North Amer¬

South in the winter, and hot tropical air can invade the northern latitudes during

ica is heated by marine air from the Gulf of Mexico and remains relatively warm.

summer. The eastern regions of North America suffer stormier winters and sum¬ mer heat waves. Rainfall patterns shift

NORTH

ATLANTIC

OSCILLATION

by hundreds, even thousands, of miles.

(NAO): The Icelandic Low and the mid-Atlantic Azores High control the strength and direction of winds around

THE POWER OF THREE— OR EVEN TWO

the Atlantic Ocean (below).

Three patterns—the negative AO, posi¬

When there is a strong “positive” dif¬

tive PNA, and negative NAO—individu¬

ference between the air pressure areas, the prevailing winds and the polar jet stream

ally create curvy polar jet streams that al¬ low Arctic air to flow south. When two

blast across the Atlantic. They trap cold

or three of them happen at the same time,

Arctic air, forcing it to stay north.

cries of “polar vortex” or “Snowmaged-

When the areas’ pressure is similar, or “negative,” the jet stream and Atlantic

don” go up! The effects are critical for U.S. and Canadian weather,

(continued)

Illustration source: NOAA

92

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac

93

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A A

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.

Blessed

blossoms St. Athanasius • C at £$ • 6W Cl • Tides {lo'j banish Sts. Philips.lames'. £ °0N. • ww* • {las sadness;

(5§£ • First Freedom Ride began, 1961 • {

CS^d9(C. ™es {r n.i

all

112.0

I Symbols for notable celestial events. (See opposite page for explanations.)

AT PER1G.

Ad>(7 Baseball player IS OYvs Willie Mays bom, 1931 14-pound pearl reportedly collected T., / 11.4 gladness! at Palawan island. Philippines, 1934 * 1 es t — 1 t & nf (Stir Mother’s Pianist Rudolf Birds ISt S'. at. xiSt. • Day • Serkin died, 1991

I The bold letter is the Dominical Letter (from A to G), a tradi¬ tional ecclesiastical designation for Sunday determined by the date on which the first Sunday falls. For 2016, a leap year, the Dominical Letter is C through February. It then reverts to B for the rest of the year.

St. Gregory ^RIDES XTRANSIT/^sXIN J 1/ return ofNazianzus* kkhigh • Yover vl/• Yinp.O • As™. return Union Pacific ami Central Pacific railroads linked with golden spike, Promontory Point, Utah, 1869 * St. Mamertus, St. Patterns, and St. Gervais T, • Three • 'do not pass without a frost. * 1 nrce *

joyous

j '10.1 9.4

for

(5^9 • Cranberries in bud now, • Saints • Tides

34 cavalry camels disembarked at lndianola, Tex., 1856 •

with chorus

{93

us-

$enteco£ft • (L ^ 9, • dV-d Showers (7 on U.S. Congress gave authorization T., / 9.2 'A eq. • to mint the nickel, 1866 * 1 ldes \ 9.4

Proverbs, poems, and adages generally appear in this font.

fill each

Joliet-Marquette Mississippi River expedition began, 1673 Ember rr at Deadly eruption, / 9.2 Day apo. Mount St. Helens, Wash., 1980 # 19.8 Cf Ihindan For what thou canst do . T;, f 9.2 M. UUIlStan • thyself rely not on another • Tides 110 0

Sundays and special holy days generally appear in this font. Noteworthy historical events, folklore, and legends appear in this font.

111.9 110.5 (11.3 { j 110.1 10.7 Rag of Manitoba officially adopted, 1966 • Chilly • |' 9.7

rill with

Ember The Saturday Evening Post published its first Day # cover with Norman Rockwell painting, 1916 21 22

Civil holidays and astronomical events appear in this font. High tide heights, in feet, at, Boston, Massachusetts.

liquid

dd’(£»9sTAT-« j9: 1 ^•!^F.U„werO«d^.9 1906 Victoria Day North-West Mounted Police authorized (Canada) * (now Royal Canadian Mounted Police), 1873 - to 8-inch-deep hail runs low •

Tides

fle •
* Length Sun Declination High Tide >» 0 d d d d *0 of Day Fast of Sun Times ■*-> Boston Rises w Sets 0 Astron. Age h. m. m. o l h. m. n

May

Blest power of sunshine! Genial day! What balm, what life is in thy ray. -Thomas Moore

B

2

M.

3

Tu.

4

W.

5

Th.

6 Fr. 7

Sa.

8

B

9

M.

10 Tu. 11 W. 12 Th. 13 Fr. 14 Sa. 15

■ Spring has been late this year. We had January, Febru¬ ary, March, more March, and Blessed then a weird hybrid I’m calling Eogation §b. • Orthodox Easter. £?aayy. {jjj blossoms Maypril. When we got up the St. Athanasius« (LAT^.d^TideS{l°;° morning of the Memorial Day banish Philipkhm?. G parade, the temperature was 37 sadness; degrees and it was raining. dSd • F'rstFreed°m Ride began, 1961 • j Jj’®8 We dressed warmly and all CinC° -d9G • ™es {“;£ ascengiott • dcMayo •< drove up to the center of town at . A^SCT - Baseball player is New 0 • (X perig. • d$. af. &SC. Day Serkindied, 1991 tricky business, as it is the main St. Gregory rr RIDES X TRANSIT/ of Nazianzus* ^ VVhigh HIGH **1 V t OVER over 6 •‘U™- return of Nazianzus east-west highway in southern Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads linked f 11.9 with with golden spike. Promontory Point, Utah, 1869 110.5 New Hampshire, and the whole St. Mamertus, St. Patterns, and St. Gervais town marched up to the cem¬ do not pass without a frost. •ThreeMl0.'l J°yOUS Flag of Manitoba officially adopted, 1966 • Chilly • j ' chorUS etery, following the veterans, the middle school band, and a (f) d 9 • Cranberries in bud now. • Saints • Tides { for gaggle of Cub Scouts, Brown¬ {9.6 g 2 US. ies, and Little Leaguers. The cemetery looks west »ttt. £>. • ^entecostt • G n 9 • dlf C Showers across our lake, which was rr ON U.S. Congress gave authorization T-, f 9.2 fill C. EQ. • to mint the nickel, 1866 * 1 WeS 19.4 flecked with whitecaps in a Joliet-Marquette Mississippi River expedition began, 1673 each stiff breeze. As we assembled Deadly eruption, f 9.2 AT Ember rill among the stones, some going APO. 9 Mount St. ‘ Helens, .19.8 Wash., 1980 9 Day ' back to Revolutionary times, For what thou canst do # Tides | j qq with St. Dunstan • thySeift reiy not on another. ' the drivers waiting for us were Ember The Saturday Evening Post published its first liquid released, and they roared by. Day # cover with Norman Rockwell painting, 1916 trill. Between the traffic and the £™ber. Vesak. ™wer O • dcTG • $*™. • {9_4 wind, hardly a word of the ®rtntt?*dbG« CT 1906 echoed minister’s patriotic speech was Victoria Day North-West Mounted Police authorized hark audible. (Canada) * (now Royal Canadian Mounted Police), 1873 rr 6- to 8-inch-deep hail, _ TiHo„ (10.3 frnm Then the police closed the d RUNS L0W » near Ada, Okla.. 1940 * T,des l 9.3 Jrom ru Da a* A nf? Andrew Moyer patented method for f 10.3 l j / / road again, and we retreated St. Bede • O t. vi. • mass production of penicillin, 1948 l 9.3 into town for the national an¬ Radio and television personality Art Linkletter died, 2010 • {*93 tO them and the raising of the flag German battleship Bismarck sunk, WWII, 1941 • Tides j ^ j hill back to full-staff. All in all, it was a miserable way to spend a French West India Company secured royal ^ # f 10.1 fry every grant of all French colonies in America, 1664 morning, but compared to what J\\trr Hockey player Luc 'gg lark many of the men with flags on Corpus Christi O vf • Bourdon died, 2008 rr 00 Mariner 9 launched, ( 10.0 Memorial and their graves suffered, we could Vi A1 O • Cape Kennedy, Fla., 1971 * l 10.2 Day Such a beginning, whippoorwill! hardly complain. Visit, of Mary • G 9 such an end. Dates, Feasts, Fasts, Aspects, Tide Heights

os 1

Farmer’s Calendar

B

16 M. 17 Tu. 18 W. 19 Th.

20 Fr. 21 Sa. 22 B 23 M. 24 Tu. 25 W. 26 Th. 27 Fr. 28 Sa. 29

B

30 M. 31 Tu.

2016

Weather

■. af. $. • ScoVdqhttemSnow.e * { How M. St.Dominic.^“^66«™-{^ about Tu. G apo • Deadly tornado, Wallingford, Conn., 1878 10.1 9.8

e. I aurrnnpn The horse thinks one thing f 10 W. ol. LdWtrlUc • and tfrat rjrfes foim another. * l 9.3 hosting a .5 Perseids 11 Th. St. Clare • Dog Days end. • (5(1? G • Tides { 9.2 Isaac Singer received patent for continuousparty, 12 Fr. dW # stitch sewing machine, 1851 t 3-yr.-old Jamie Gavin became youngest f 8.3 smarty ? 13 Sa. VSTAT- • heart/lung transplant patient, 1985 l 9.4 14 B 13tl,S.af.f..GS-S-ca"»s”i Electric

15 M. 16 Tu. 17 W. 18 Th. 19 Fr.

toumpli.il.deG-EXe*'0"-( “ niShts>e Kittinger freef 9.2 X gr. elong. From 102,800’, Joe then V (27° east) • fell 4 min., 36 sec.., N.Mex., 1960 * l 10.5 Cat Nights not as Frontiersman Davy Crockett born, 1786 commence. ( A . Ringo Starr joined Tid f 10.1 Full warm— Sturgeon kJ * The Beatles, 1962 * 1Wes \ — jVttr? r? 9Q “Bronze Fonz” statue unveiled, watch O ¥ • viAT O • Milwaukee, Wis„ 2008 11.3 out! eq • Astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle died, 2001 • { 10.8

20 Sa. G 11.3 21 B I4tfi Js>. al. f>. • G ?erig. • Abloom. • { 11.1 11.1 22 M. dSG-S£Td&.C.,1816*W 11.2 U.S. Lunar Orbiter 1 took famed first photo of Earth from Moon’s orbit, 1966

23 Tu. 24 W. St. Bartholomew .

25 Th. 26 Fr. 27 Sa. 28

B

f 108 l 11.1

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r io.4 • ™es {,, 0

G

rides high

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d$9 • d9"7( • Tides |110.6

just right far fooling

John Herbert Chapman, father of fishes. ip. * Canadian Space Agency, bom, 1921 X Painter Frans Hals Showers

29 M. St. John the Baptist • 9STAT- • died, 1666 9.8 Hotline between White House 30 Tu. and Kremlin installed, 1963 • Tides 10.8 2016

storm!

/-JITU.S. National Park .Tides! 9,9 OOv # Service established, 1916 l110.8 . .... . Famed Krakatoa eruption Hummingbirds migrate south. • begarb Indonesjaj 1883

o,ii

31 W.

Tropical

Arrogance is the obstruction of wisdom. • Tides

soften, 10.0

j 10.7

often.

■ The fungus appeared sud¬ denly in early August: shelf¬ like fruiting structures on an enormous dead ash tree that marked the boundary between our property and that of our neighbor to the south. They seemed to appear over¬ night. One morning I looked out my kitchen window, and there they were. So I made a cup of coffee and walked into the woods to investigate. The color of the fungus was extraordinary: It glowed like hot coals. At first glance, it looked artificial, like a pile of discarded orange traffic cones. But how would they have got¬ ten into our woods? The bizarre organisms clus¬ tered thickly around the base of the tree and climbed its trunk, sprouting in the crotches of limbs 20 feet high. They looked like invaders from outer space in a 1950s horror film. A little research revealed them to be Laetiporus sulphureus. It forms in late summer and weakens the tree so much that experts recommend tak¬ ing it down immediately before it endangers people or struc¬ tures. Indeed, broken limbs surrounded the trunk. We won’t miss the tree, and it’s too far from our house to be a threat. What seemed most strange was how fast it all hap¬ pened. This was not the decline and fall of the Roman Empire; it was breaking news.

Listen to the Farmer’s Calendar at Almanac.com/Multimedia.

143

SEPTEMBER The

Nin

t h

Month

•

2016

SKY WATCH ☆ Neptune comes closest to Earth on the 1st, with an opposition on the 2nd in Aquarius. A small telescope reveals its blue disk and its strange, backward-orbiting satel¬ lite, Triton. The Moon is to the upper left of Venus on the 3rd, above Saturn on the 8th, and to the upper left of Mars on the 9th, before passing to the left of Neptune on the 15th. Mars, still bright at magnitude -0.2, is increasing its eastward speed passing through Ophiuchus. The 22nd brings the equinox and autumn at 10:21 a.m. Look for Mercury’s best morning star appearance from the 24th to the 30th. On the 29 th, Mercury hovers above the crescent Moon. New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon

•

c o 3

A

R

•

1st day 9th day 16th day 23rd day 30th day

5 th 7th 15 th 5th 20th

hour hour hour hour hour

4th minute 50th minute 5th minute 56th minute 12th minute

All times are given in Eastern Daylight Time.

o5 o® a> >* £

Si nS 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Th.

Fr.

Sa. B M. Tu. W. Th.

Fr.

Sa. B M. Tu. W. Th.

Fr.

Sa. B M. Tu. W. Th.

Fr.

Sa. B M. Tu. W. Th.

Fr.

Get these pages with times set to your zip code at Almanac.com/Access. >. >» Length Sun Declination High Tide o G a: Sets h. m. h. m. h. m. m. 0 h. m. £E h. m. • — 6:10 B 7:17 D 13 07 16 7 n. 56 12 6:18 c 7:30 6:11 B 7:16 D 13 05 16 7 34 121 121 7:19 D 8:00 6:12 B 7:14 D 13 02 17 7 12 1 8:18 D 8:28 11 6:13 C 7:12 D 12 59 17 6 50 11 2 9:16 D 8:57 6:14 C 7:11 D 12 57 17 6 27 21 2i 10:14 E 9:27 6:15 C 7:09 D 12 54 18 6 05 3 31 11:10 E 9:59 6:16 C 7:07 D 12 51 18 5 43 31 4 12:06 E 10:34 6:17 C 7:05 D 12 48 18 5 20 41 4! 1:01 E 11:12 6:18 C 7:04 D 12 46 19 4 57 51 5! 1:55 E 11:56 6:19 C 7:02 D 12 43 19 4 35 61 61 2:47 E — 6:20 C 7:00 D 12 40 19 4 12 71 7| 3:36 E 12:44 6:21 C 6:58 D 12 37 20 3 49 81 8i 4:22 E 1:39 6:22 C 6:57 C 12 35 20 3 26 9 5:05 E 91 2:39 6:23 C 6:55 C 12 32 20 3 03 91 10 5:44 E 3:43 6:25 C 6:53 C 12 28 21 2 40 101 11 6:22 D 4:51 6:26 C 6:51 C 12 25 21 2 17 111 111 6:58 D 6:02 6:27 c 6:49 C 12 22 22 1 53 121 — 7:34 C 7:14 6:28 c 6:48 C 12 20 22 1 30 121 1 8:11 C 8:27 6:29 c 6:46 C 12 17 22 1 07 11 11 8:51 C 9:40 6:30 c 6:44 C 12 14 23 0 44 21 2i 9:33 B 10:52 6:31 c 6:42 C 12 11 23 0 N. 20 31 31 10:20 B 12:01 6:32 c 6:41 C 12 09 23 0 s. 02 4 41 11:12 B 1:06 6:33 c 6:39 C 12 06 24 0 25 5 51 — 2:05 6:34 c 6:37 C 12 03 24 0 49 61 6! 12:07 B 2:57 6:35 c 6:35 C 12 00 24 1 12 71 71 1:06 B 3:43 6:36 c 6:34 C 11 58 25 1 36 81 81 2:07 C 4:23 6:37 c 6:32 C 11 55 25 1 59 91 9! 3:08 C 4:59 6:38 c 6:30 C 11 52 25 2 22 101 101 4:09 C 5:31 6:40 c 6:28 C 11 48 26 2 46 11 111 5:10 D 6:01 6:41 c 6:27 C 11 46 26 3 s. 09 111 12 6:09 D 6:30

To use this page, see p. 120; for Key Letters, see p. 250.

Bold =

p.m.

CD

a