Waiting

In January we usually start watching for days that are mild enough to get out in the field and prune the bushes.  Pruning almost 1,000 bushes takes many days and many hours so we really like to get started as early as possible.

The following is a pruning/weather report for January 2010.

January 1-10:  Temps well below 30 degrees most days.  We had a really nice 6 inch snowfall in late December and it's still on the ground.  No pruning.

January 11-24:  There was a warming spell with some days seeing temps as high as 63!  The snow melted but left behind some very sloshy ground.  Getting down on your hands and knees or sitting on wet, muddy ground while you prune is no one's idea of fun.  So while the weather was picture perfect for pruning the ground conditions weren't.  No pruning.

January 25-31:  Temps went back down into the 20's and we had another 5-6 inch snowfall.  No pruning.

The month of January was pretty quiet at the farm.  There's a peacefulness that blankets the bushes waiting to bud, the bee hives waiting to bustle with activity, and the pond waiting for life to take on it's spring and summer energy.

And yet with all the stillness there is a lot going on that can't be seen.  New buds are forming and waiting to flower and become the new crop of blueberries we'll all enjoy this summer.  We'll wait for the berries and we'll leave the pruning to another day while we wait for mild weather and dry ground in February.