Farming

The Harrison County Conservation District will be accepting requests for cost share funding under the Kentucky Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost Share and Environmental Stewardship Program beginning May 14, 2012 and extending through June 15, 2012.

Boy, from the frying pan into the fire these first few weeks of May.
The vegetable garden will be responding -- for better and for worse -- to in the upper 80’s so early in the season.  
One thing we can do to alleviate a little heat stress is to employ some shade devices for our spring crops and seedlings.
The vegetable garden can start doing some funny things during a heat wave. When temperatures start to raise into the upper 80s and 90s many vegetables drop flowers before pollination and fruit set; and stop blooming all together.  

The Harrison County Phase I Committee held the educational meeting on Monday, April 30 at the Harrison County Extension Office. At the meeting 161 local farmers received applications for the 2012 Phase I projects.  
During the meeting the group received information concerning programs this year and deadlines for signing up. All applications are due to the Extension Office by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 14.  Following the application period, the local board will score the applications and notify the first group who are approved.

A couple of weeks ago, in mid-April, one of the prettiest flowers in the garden started to bloom. This great cut-leaf Japanese peony, Paeonia tenuifolia, opened its simple ruby-colored petals to reveal bright yellow stamen.  
The finely cut foliage, reminiscent of the most finely cut foliage of a Japanese maple, allows the plant to be interesting in the mixed border the rest of the growing season, too.