Eastern Iowa Farmer Spring 2017

Life Lessons
that it cleans better than bleach.
The almanac
But sometimes the best advice never
makes sense when it is given.
Gene said he never understood his
father’s belief in farming almanacs or
following directions from the signs of the
zodiac printed in Blum’s Almanac.
“We never used it when we farmed,”
Joan said, chuckling as her husband
flipped through the trusty almanac that is
always by his living room chair.
“I pretty near live by it now,” he said.
He’s even planned trips to his favorite
fishing hole by looking at the almanac.
And it worked.
“And you plant beets as doggone early
as you can,” he advised.
More tips?
Sprinkle chili or cayenne powder
around cabbage plants when they’re starting
to grow. It will take care of cabbage
worms, Joan said.
To avoid wormy carrots, pulverize kelp
(seaweed) into a powder and sprinkle in
the row of carrots. It’s a source of iodine.
Tying cinnamon or garlic around fruit
trees kills bugs and keeps them from
eastern iowa farmer photo / Brooke Taylor
In Gene Gerardy’s well-organized shop, there is a place for everything.
eating the fruit.
“Garlic keeps people from bugging
you, too, by golly,” Gene said, laughing.
Gene also passed on his family’s surefire
way to control pesky rabbits that can
decimate a garden.
“A .22-caliber rifle; take aim and
shoot,” he said with a big belly laugh. But
in reality, killing a rabbit, squirrel or deer
also meant more food on the table.
Sometimes, however, it’s good to buck
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spring 2017 | Eastern Iowa Farmer 19