By Dr. Bruce Smith ——Bio and Archives--April 8, 2024
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This week’s message is short but urgent.
It was a different kind of winter here and in much of the country. The excuse given in the fall was that it was an El Nino year, and to expect weather milder than average. We had a terrific cold snap (was it January?) of about ten days, then temps were pretty normal through March before it turned rather cold, then warmed up, then turned cold again. Going by the temps, it felt like Late February and early March for about two months. All of a sudden Monday is April 8th.
Along the old National Road all across the Hoosier state farmers and gardeners know that the frost date, the average date of the last frost in the spring, comes about April 19. That date is only about ten days away. After that date, farmers begin to plant corn, and gardeners get serious about getting at least their early planting started. By the time May arrives in just three weeks, it will be serious planting time for most everything.
That means that it’s time to be planning a garden and finding seeds and plants for the coming growing season. Farmers and habitual gardeners have already done much of their planning and even some of the early tillage. In my area, there are ammonia tanks on the road already, along with lime and fertilizer trucks. It’s coming.
This year is different in another way, however. It’s a presidential election year, and a very odd one. There has been a concerted effort in some quarters to prevent certain candidates from gaining ballot access by various means. I don’t have to describe what’s going on because it’s hard to escape the constant barrage of stories about it.
Alarming policies have been put in place for the past 3+ years that have angered many voters. Other voters have reached new heights of alarm that a former president might be elected as was Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892. It’s a mess.
Lately, several people I scarcely know have mentioned to me in hushed voices that they are concerned about this year. There may well be unrest, they say, of various kinds as the summer advances into fall. There may also be unrest on election day and after election day, depending on the outcome. No one can make any narrow predictions about what might come or exactly when, but people are alarmed and worried.
So the gardening forecast for this year’s growing season is favorable. Gardening is recommended. It might be a good time to brush up on canning and preserving skills. It’s a good idea to find farmers markets and roadside stands in your area and do some shopping there. If stocking up on produce is truly impossible, consider prudent trips to the grocery for storable foods and the means to prepare them. Do you ever go camping? Just curious. What do you eat on those trips to the campground or to the parks? What do you do for hydration for a week or more at a time in a strange area? Do you take meds with you when you travel?
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Just think about what you would do if there were a major power outage or a serious outbreak of tornadoes. The Palm Sunday tornado outbreak occurred on April 10-12, 1965. It happens. If you lost power for ten days and were cut off from driving by downed trees and power lines, what would you eat and drink over that spell? Seriously, take a look at your cupboard and pick complete meals out of there. Make a list of how long you’d have a normal diet in a difficult situation. Now if you’re like me, you could stand to lose a few pounds, but I’d rather not do it in Bataan Death March style. Think about quietly and gradually making better plans for the aftermath of a storm. Or whatever.
We can find most anything we want right now, and that’s a good thing. A little prudent shopping or gardening might be something to consider. It’s just a thought.
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Dr. Bruce Smith (Inkwell, Hearth and Plow) is a retired professor of history and a lifelong observer of politics and world events. He holds degrees from Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame. In addition to writing, he works as a caretaker and handyman. His non-fiction book The War Comes to Plum Street, about daily life in the 1930s and during World War II, may be ordered from Indiana University Press.