Spring Survival Checklist 2015

We like to think of What To Do as The Old Farmer’s Almanac for suburban yuppies. Each season we check in with them for need to know stuff like the weather, meteorology and astrology. If we asked the OFA to edit a Spring Survival Checklist for our towns, we think it would go something like this:

What To Do’s Old Farmer’s Almanac Report: Weather: After a long cold winter the OFA forecasts a warm spring with temperatures 1° warmer than average in April (ave. temp 53°) Precipitation will be 1 inch below normal in April and 3 inches above normal in May with thunderstorms accompanying unseasonably warm temperatures late in the month.

Astronomy: Full moon days for spring April 4 – pink moon; May 3 – flower moon, June 2 – strawberry moon.  So check out the pink moon, pick some flowers and eat some strawberries but never talk to your spouse about politics or religion on these days or you may be lawyering up in the morning.

Best time to see Saturn- May 23: The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn’s rings and a few of its brightest moons.

Best Fishing Days: According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac the best fishing days are between when the moon is new and full. Here’s when the fish will be biting this spring: March 20-April 4, April 18-May 3, May 18-June 2.  

Astrology: Celeste Longacre’s Best Days: According to the OFA’s resident astrologer Celeste Longacre, here are the best days each month to: Quit Smoking: 4/6, 15; 5/13, 17;  6/9, 13. Begin Diet to lose weight: 4/6, 15; 5/13, 17; 6/9, 13. Begin Diet to gain weight: Ha. Have dental care: 4/1, 2, 28, 29; 5/25, 26. Start projects: 4/20, 21; 5/19, 10; 30; 6/17, 18. Prune to encourage growth: 4/25, 26, 27; 5/23, 24; 6/1. Plant above ground crops: 4/23, 24; 5/3, 30, 31. Can, pickle or make sauerkraut: 4/6, 7; 5/12, 13; 6/8, 9.

Moveable Religious Holidays: Palm Sunday, 3/29. First Day of Passover: 4/3. Good Friday: 4/3. Easter: 4/5. Ascension Day: 5/14.

Holidays, Observances, and other Celebrations: April 12: Walk On Your Wild Side Day/National Licorice Day. Get wild and eat licorice for bonus points. May 2: Kentucky Derby Day May 5: Cinco de Mayo (duh!) May 10: Mother’s Day. May 16: World Whiskey Day (you know what to do) May 25: Memorial Day. June 1: Marilyn Monroe’s Birthday: “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” June 5: World Environment Day. June 6: National Yo-Yo day. Buy one. Rock the baby. June 7: Chocolate Ice Cream Day: Our fave. June 21: Father’s Day.

Going Native: If you’re interested in learning about the native plants that support birds, bees and butterflies, visit The Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College in Valhalla. The two-acre Lady Bird Johnson Demonstration Garden showcases native American plants and wildflowers indigenous to the Northeast. It’s designed for summer and fall color, and no pesticides or fertilizers are used.

The Center’s Stone Cottage Garden has four distinct areas: one that features plants that provide fall and winter interest; a garden with plants that do well along house foundations; a butterfly and hummingbird garden, and a low groundcovers and lawn substitutes garden. The Rain Garden, a wide streambed lined with gravel and river stones, demonstrates plants that tolerate extreme fluctuations in moisture, from temporarily submerged to drought conditions.

The Native Plant Center is open daily year-round, and admission is free. Events include a lecture series, workshops and adult education classes. Their 16^th annual native plant sale is on April 16. They offer a host of resources for home gardeners on their website, including a list of plants found in their gardens with bloom times to help you time your visit or plan your own garden that is in bloom from March through October. (75 Grasslands Rd., Valhalla, 914.606.7870; nativeplantcenter.org)

Real Estate Update: What’s your house worth now? What’s your house worth? How long will it take you to sell it? What percent of your asking price will you be able to bank on? We asked Ted Holmes of Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Chappaqua and Michael Levy of Grand Lux Realty in Armonk to report in on how the local real estate market performed in 2014 and how the 2015 market is shaping up. They gave us all the details and a few tips on what to do to make sure you prepare your home to get market value and above this year. Here’s what they told us. Read more.

If marijuana was lettuce would you eat it: Is your food safe? American consumers are growing increasingly health conscious, favoring organic and sustainably farmed meats and produce. At the same time they are becoming much more accepting of the use of marijuana? But is your pot safe? Dr. Nan Miller told us that the marijuana plant has more than 400 chemicals and its smoke contains 50-70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. And if your teen smokes pot regularly before the age of 18, you can shave 8 points off their IQ score – permanently. Which begs the question, if marijuana was lettuce would you eat it? Read more.

Farmers Markets & Farm Stands: For 2015, we’ve updated our local farmers markets guide to include farm stands for locavores who want to shop right at the farm. We list five local markets where you can shop for a full meal from fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, baked goods and desserts, prepared foods, artisanal cheeses, and pickles. Four are Saturday markets and the Muscoot Farm market is held on Sundays. They all support local sustainable farming and offer organic and free range products. Most have gluten free, vegan, and dairy free options. At some you can pick up flowers, a bottle of Hudson Valley wine, or craft beer in a growler, and even get your knives sharpened. Plus, four local farm stands – three that are open during the week. And one where you can pick your own right in the field. If you would rather shop at your favorite farmers market online, we tell you how to do that on Fresh Nation. You can even learn how to start an organic farm right in your own backyard, patio or deck with the Tower Garden® – marketed locally by Armonk resident Lauren Bernard. Read on.

Is it time to prune your trees?:  Some people feel that every one of their trees is a trophy and each branch a sacramental act of nature. To remove one would be interfering with nature’s grand design. They would never prune a tree. Others can’t wait to get out the shears and start chopping. To them, nature is random and subject to their interpretation to achieve perfection. Most people are somewhere in between. Maybe you have heard that pruning is good for trees but wouldn’t know where to get started.

We sat down with arborist and CEO of Almstead Tree, Shrub and Lawn Care, Ken Almstead to get the skinny on tree care. He told us, “The most common reasons for pruning ornamental and shade trees include promoting healthy growth, correcting structural defects or improving aesthetics. As every alteration made to a tree has the potential to impact its growth, it is important that pruning typically be done for only the following reasons” Read more.

From the archives: Best of 2014 Spring Survival Checklist

Heirloom Tomatoes: Looking for that rare variety of tomato, melon, pansy or herb? Check out Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds online. They offer over 1,200 unique heirloom varieties of open-pollinated, pure, natural and non-GMO seeds. Including 200 varieties of tomatoes large and small in a wide range of colors including white, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple and over 22 varieties of striped tomatoes. Read more.

Spring Entertaining: Inside-Out Technology: It used to be that getting ready for spring entertaining meant taking a steel brush to your Weber grill, dusting off the beverage bucket and propping your speakers up against your window screens. Now when we man the decks we want to take the whole family room with us. Fortunately there’s a whole range of technology available to help you bring the home entertainment experience into the backyard. We asked Lou Gordon, of Soundworks, Inc., in Armonk to give us some tips for the best in inside-out technology for spring and summer. Here’s what he told us:

KOGA Fitness™ at Westchester MMA-FIT In Mt. Kisco: Do you Koga? KOGA Fitness™is a new fusion fitness program that combines kickboxing and yoga into a high- energy workout that integrates the mind/body/spirit aspects of Yoga. Pioneered by Jon Koga, a martial arts black belt and certified kickboxing and Yoga instructor, KOGA Fitness™ has been featured in Self, Shape, Yoga Journal and on The Dr. Oz Show. KOGA Fitness™ classes are available for the first time in Westchester County at Westchester MMA Fit in Mount Kisco. Read more. 

Spring Grill Tune-ups and more: If your outdoor grill is more fun to use than to clean, Armonk residents David and Barrie Rakower and Jennifer and Joseph Cohen can help. Their company Firefly Propane, that delivers propane tanks so you never run out, offers a 20 point grill scrub and tune up that includes a hose, regulator and burner jet repair to keep your grill hot, efficient and safe. They also sell the Mosquito Magnet that silently traps and collects mosquitos and biting insects. With a service and maintenance contract they will even clean out the trapped insects so you never have to touch your unit. We like that. (980 Broadway, #123, Thornwood, 888.384.3359; www.fireflypropane.com)

Spring Survival 2014   Spring Survival Archives