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

Mid-Atlantic Weather Watch: Remnants of Gulf hurricane, heavy rain in the southern part of the region (1, 2, 3) with hot and humid weather (4, 5, 6); storms (7, 8) followed by the 3 H’s – hazy, hot, and humid (9, 10, 11, 12, 13); Atlantic hurricane, heavy rain, severe storms (14, 15, 16, 17) turning hot and humid again (18, 19, 20, 21, 22). Periods of storms, mainly in the south (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31).

Full Moon: August’s full moon will occur on August 15th. It has been referred to by many Native American tribes as Fruit Moon or Ripe Moon because of the many fruits and vegetables that ripen during the month. And since August 11th marks the end of the ‘Dog Days of Summer’, it has also been called Dog Moon.

Special Notes: The 224th edition of the J. Gruber’s Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack will be on newsstands and at popular retailers throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region in September but you can place your order for the 2020 issue of The Almanack right now! Simply send an email to info@almanack.com now and order your copy for delivery after Labor Day. Check out www.almanack.com/order and consider taking advantage of the popular 3-year subscription, which offers guaranteed delivery of The Almanack for the next three years with no increase in price for only $23.50! Or you can register as a Friend of the Almanack (FOTA). As an FOTA member, you will receive a hard copy of the current edition, have immediate access to the digital version of The Almanack and also to year’s digital edition, too for only $15. All great deals for a great almanac!

Holidays: Labor Day will be here before you know it, signaling the end of summer so enjoy it while you can!

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. To ensure a happy harvest, pick vegetables in the morning hours when the sugar content is highest. Never harvest or do any other garden work when plants are wet or you’re likely to spread disease.

The Farm: Best for planting root crops (21, 23); weeding and stirring the soil (2, 28, 29); planting above-ground crops (7, 8); harvesting all crops (14, 15); the best days for setting hens and incubators (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)); the slaughtering and butchering of meat (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 30, 31); transplanting (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 30, 31); the weaning of all small animals and livestock (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18); harvesting and storing grains (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29).