"Summer has set in with its usual severity."
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

Full Moon: August’s full moon will occur on August 22nd and since August 11th marks the end of the ‘Dog Days of Summer’, it has been referred to as ‘Dog Moon’. Other Native American tribes called it ‘Fruit Moon’ or ‘Ripe Moon’ because of the many fruits and vegetables that ripen during the month.

Holidays: Labor Day is a just few weeks away and signals the end of summer, the promise of cooler days ahead, and the start of school for many. Begin planning now and make a list of things that need to be done and when to they need to be completed. Schedule immunizations and/or physicals, purchase new clothes, and an assess school supplies that will be needed with ample lead time to ensure a successful ‘first day’ for your young students.

The Garden: August is the peak of the hot and dry season and your plants will need water more than anything during this time. If watering is limited or restricted in your area, concentrate on getting the most to newly planted trees and shrubs. If you use thick mulch and give it a good soak, water will be retained much better over much longer periods of time.

The Farm: Best for planting root crops (1, 27, 28, 29); weeding and stirring the soil (7, 8, 9); planting above-ground crops (14, 15); harvesting all crops (20, 21, 22); the best days for setting hens and incubators (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30); the slaughtering and butchering of meat (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14); transplanting (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14); the weaning of all small animals and livestock (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24); harvesting and storing grains (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 67, 30, 31).

J. Gruber’s Thought For Today’s Living

"If all our todays held as much hope as our tomorrows, what wonderful memories we would have of all our yesterdays"