Mother Nature has farmers in southeast Nebraska wondering when the earliest date is to get in the fields to plant corn. With 80-degree days for the past couple of weeks it feels like spring has sprung. My tomato and pepper plants are in the garage, 4 inches tall and ready to be transplanted to my garden, but I too am leery of a late cold spell.

So how do you know it’s spring? The trees are budding, our plum thicket is covered with blooms, we’ve already used sunscreen, and I mowed my grass.

My grandfather can recall a certain childhood story about a man looking for work husking corn. His pay was meals and a place to sleep in the barn. And through this meeting with the unnamed wanderer, Grandpa also learned how you know for sure it’s springtime.

Listen to my grandpa’s story here. Listen to Grandpa explain

Until we walk again …