Deep frost might not equal early planting.

[BA Deere]

Ice fishermen need extentions on their augers, city waterlines bursting.  Some are saying frost down to 5 feet, it`s going to take some "above normal" temps to get that out.  Potential for muddy calving conditions are greater this spring. 

Maybe we`ll have a "old fashioned spring" like in the 1970`s, where all the spring rains would end up ponding, making for sweet ice skating and donut-spinning with the chore pickup.  but, looking 45 days out on Accuweather, there`s a 50º here and there, but alot of below 20º nights, so nothing will happen before the late Easter this spring.

It`s not to say that we won`t have a ideal growing season, but there`s a higher potential for a late start to planting.  As a kid in the 70`s, I moldboard plowed peat in the middle of May and would turn up chunks of frost.  I thought "global warming" took care of that   but those conditions might be back this spring.

[425Cat]

Just wondering how my soft red looks underneath all this snow. Little ice too. Maybe still growing

[farmerguy89]

no frost here, but the lakes have record ice accumulations. they may freeze over completely by winters end, a rarity. would i be looking at ice on lakes in april may? maybe. do I usually? no

[BA Deere]

The Great Lakes are 88% ice covered, http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/great-lakes-covered-ice-22510794    hardy Wisconsin ice fishermen are giving up.

Some here in NCIA that seeded alflafa late summer and it didn`t get going `til early fall are worried if the new seeding will survive. 

[jennys_mn]

Now that I got taxes done, I was thinking about going to do some ice fishing on the lake by me. Guess I might have to take the track skid steer with the 12" auger!

Jen

[Slim123]

Jen: Cheaper and faster to get that fish at Hy Vee

[Wind]

Yep, my wife made a batch for our valentine dinner yesterday.  

Planted some red-clover with rye as a cover crop, not sure it will make it, very little snow cover this Winter. 

[jennys_mn]

I guess I could just stop at Mories Fish House on the way bak home. Your right - it might be easier.

Jen

[buckfarmer]

Our creeks, streams, and small rivers aren't as frozen as some years when we were actually warmer. Maybe it's because they are flowing better than those years. I can't really remember how much flow they had those years. Plus we have no frozen ground. I loaded some logs today. When the forks dug through the snow the dirt that came up was just wet, not frozen. I think we may be like most of the Midwest usually is. In that, when the snow is gone if the air temperature warms up normally, we will be ready to plant at normal times. I understand many places don't have the snow cover they usually do and have been much colder also.