Spring Survival Checklist 2016

Spring Survival Checklist 2016: 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:

Weather: If you are expecting April showers to bring May flowers you may be a bit disappointed this year. OFA forecasts a dry April with only 1-½ inches of precipitation, a full 2” below average. The monthly average temperature (51°) is 1° below average with the warmest weather from April 7-14 and April 24-30. The forecast for May includes a full 4” of precipitation but that’s average. Temperatures will also be average at 61° for the month with some scattered t-storms and hot weather from May 24-31. No news is good news I guess.

Astronomy: Full moon days for spring April 22 – pink moon, May 21 – flower moon, June 20 – strawberry moon.  So check out the pink moon, pick some flowers and eat some strawberries but don’ talk to your spouse about The Donald on these days or you may be lawyering up in the morning.

Skywatch: Some astronomical highlights from OFA include: April 17: A brilliant Jupiter hovers just above the moon. April 25: the gibbous moon forma a dramatic triangle with Mars to its lower right and Saturn to its lower left.

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: April 7 – 22, May 6 – 21, June 4- 20.

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: 4/5 & 23, 5/2 & 30. Begin Diet to lose weight: 4/5 & 23, 5/2 & 30. Begin Diet to gain weight: Ha. Have dental care: 4/17 &18, 5/14 & 15. Start projects: 4/8, 5/7. Prune to encourage growth: 4/14, 15 5/12 & 13. Prune to discourage growth: 4/6, 24,25 & 26, 5/4, 5 & 32. Plant above ground crops: 4/12 & 13, 5/ 19, 210 & 21. Can, pickle or make sauerkraut: 4/4, 5 & 23, 5/1, 2, 3, 29 & 30.

Moveable Religious Holidays: First Day of Passover: 4/22. Ascension Day: 5/5.

Holidays, Observances, and other Celebrations: April 13: National Scrabble Day (yes, qat is a word and will net you 36 points on a triple word score). April 22: Earth Day. May 7: Kentucky Derby Day (post time 5:45pm on NBC). May 5: Cinco de Mayo (duh!) May 8: Mother’s Day. May 21: World Whiskey Day (you know what to do) May 30: Memorial Day. June 1: Marilyn Monroe’s Birthday: “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.”

April 23 is Talk Like Shakespeare Day: Here’s a quick study guide of top quotes from the Bard: “To thine own self be true …”; “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” “We are such stuff as dreams are mad on …”; “We know what we are, but not what we may be.” “Better three hours too soon than a minute late.”, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

We’re partying on May 2 – Lesley Gore’s Birthday. It wasn’t just “It’s My Party” for Lesley Gore. She had big hits with “Judy’s Turn to Cry”, “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows”, “California Nights” and her pre-feminist anthem “You Don’t Own Me.” And then there was that “flip” hairdo. Those are six inch rollers, girls. Impressive! “Oh what a birthday surprise, Judy’s wearing his ring …”

When to plant tomatoes: According the Old Farmer’s Almanac, early April is the best time to begin planting tomato seeds indoors. Move your seedlings, or if you are not sowing from seeds, buy seedlings to plant outdoors in mid-May.

Michael Silverman

Training for a 5K Road or Trail Race? Listen to your body. New runners are highly susceptible to injury. Too much, too soon can lead to injury so log your workouts and don’t over train. Karl Rusch, a medical orthopedic therapist at Northern Westchester Hospital and Michael Silverman, Director of Rehabilitation and Wellness at Northern Westchester Hospital Rehabilitation Center at Chappaqua Crossing have some tips on how to train, prevent injury, keep it fun and other advice for road runners at all levels. Read more.

14 local road and trail races: If you think you’re ready for the road … woods, trails and streams we list 14 of the best 5K, 10K and fun runs in & around town. These races will take you through the streets of Armonk, Bedford & Chappaqua, to the top of Bailey Mountain in North Salem and across the beautiful carriage trails of Rockefeller State Park in Pleasantville. These races will take you down lilac paths in the spring and through the farm in the fall. You can be running hills in Lewisboro on Memorial Day, the streets of Pound Ridge on Independence Day and up Indian Hill Road in Bedford after your Thanksgiving turkey. Whether you’re a weekend warrior in training or a dyed-in-the-wool mountain maniac, we have a course for you. Read more.

Farmers Markets & Farm Stands: We’ve updated our local farmers markets guide to include the hottest new vendors at your favorite local markets. At all of these markets you can shop for a full meal from fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, to baked goods and desserts, prepared foods, artisanal cheeses and pickles. 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. Did you know you could shop at your favorite farm market online? We tell you how. If you are a locavorean purist who doesn’t want your produce to leave the farm before you get there, we even list the local stands where you can shop right at the farm – and one where you can pick your own right in the field. If driving to the farm leaves too much of a carbon footprint, 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.

NWH Dietician recommends starting an herb garden: If you are looking for a way to get outside, exercise and learn about nutrition, Amy Rosenfeld, MS, RD, CDN at Northern Westchester Hospital recommends starting an herb garden. Herbs are rich in antioxidants called polyphenols that can help to reduce inflammation. They also add flavor to your cooking without adding salt or sugar. Plus, research shows that children who have gardens are more likely to try new foods and develop healthier lifelong diets. Amy offers 4 easy steps to starting an herb garden and a great recipe for basil pesto.

Eating the (antioxidant) Rainbow: Can’t keep track of all those nutritional tips you find on the Internet? If you think it’s better to just grab a multi-vitamin and move on, Amy Rosenfeld, a dietician at Northern Westchester Hospital says, “nutrition wasn’t meant to come from a bottle.” Her one simple rule is to eat the rainbow, colorful fruits and vegetables are the best multi-vitamins. She breaks it down for us color by color, in her handy checklist of antioxidants and the fruits and vegetables that provide the best yield. Read more.

From the archives: Best of Spring Survival Checklist

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 Ken Almstead, arborist and CEO of Almstead Tree, Shrub and Lawn Care, 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.

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 were lettuce would you eat it? Read more.

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 16th annual native plant sale is on April 17. 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)

Upgrade your outdoor media for spring entertaining: 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:

True Love and 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.

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