Crazy but enjoyable weather this year. In the ten years we have been here at the farm we have never had a March quite like this one. We have photos of the Spring since 2004, and in perusing them can see that the trees have never been as leafed, or the plants so far along as this year.
As a contrast to this year check out the 2009 photo below of our lilac bush. These seem to be real extremes—from iced over leaf buds in 2009 to full and glorious blooms this year. In fact, the blooms Rebecca picked this morning are already beginning to be past.

March 29, 2009

March 30, 2012

Other, less anectdotal info shows just how warm it is. Each week during the growing season MU Extension sends us an email with information on weather conditions, weeds to expect and soil temperatures. The last soil temp chart we got is shown below. This years soil temps are over 15 degrees warmer than the 12 year average in some cases.

This is the condition, more than air temperature, that has created the show of greenery this March. Normally at this time of year we are wary to plant out because the soil temperatures are too cold for the tender roots of our transplants, or too cool for seeds to germinate.

This year, the soil is downright hot. When we were planting onions yesterday the soil was warm to the touch. What this means for the rest of the year is hard to tell, but at this point we have moved our planting schedule up and plan to start the season a week early.