July 7-13, 2008
You can smell the season now, a special sweetness that marks the mists of dawn and the cool of dusk and is even there in the heat of a July afternoon …
-Hal Borland

The astronomical outlook

The Turtle Hatching Moon, entering its second quarter on July 9 at 11:35 p.m., waxes gibbous throughout the remainder of the period. Those of you who are awake around two or three in the morning (as the moon lies in the west) may wish to look for the shooting stars of the Southern Delta Aquarid Meteor shower, which begins the second week of July and continues through Aug. 19.
The meteors of this shower cross the sky at the rate of about 20 per hour, so the chances of your spotting at least one are fairly good. To find them, look due south in the vicinity of Aquarius and Pisces.

The weather

Highs in the 90s or above come 35-40 percent of the time this week, and the combined chances for 80s and 90s reach up toward 90 percent most days.
Sometimes relief occurs between July 13-15 (sometimes even an afternoon high only in the 60s), but then the heat returns by July 16 most years. Chances for rain decline from July 14-18, then rise again.

Almanac daybook

July 7: Keep up the training of goats (and other animals) you plan to show at the fair: Talking to your animals, walking, standing, accepting the lead from the left and from the right can all be important.

Don’t forget a little extra grain for the coat, and a little brushing, maybe a little udder ointment.

July 8: Since the moon may exert less influence on ocean tides and on human and animal behavior when it comes into its second and fourth quarters, it might make more sense to transport your animals or perform routine maintenance on your livestock on or about July 9 and 25.

July 9: The most intense period of heat stress now begins for summer crops. San Jose scale and flathead borers are active on flowering fruit trees. Double-crop beans are being planted after wheat harvest; the moon is entering its second quarter today and favors those beans and other new summer plantings as it waxes.
July can be peak parasite month in the fields. Drench lambs and ewes together (it’s easier) every 30 days as long as they are on lush pasture. If possible, keep lambs in a field that has been unused since winter.

July 10: Morning birdsong continues to diminish, making way for the increase of insect volume. Blackberries are August-size this week, but still green. Milkweed pods emerge almost everywhere; they will burst at the approach of middle fall, just 80 days from now.

Feed management becomes increasingly important as breeding season approaches for sheep and goats. Next year brings an April Easter: That means breeding for the Easter Market can begin next month.

Flush the ewes and does to be mated at that time, moving them to better pasture and/or feed them more grain and worm them, too.
Some owners shear or clip in midsummer to improve flushing. Shear breeder stock before fall breeding.

July 11: Sycamore trees shed their bark, marking the center of summer. Set out autumn collards, kale, cabbage and broccoli while the moon waxes. As the July Dog Days intensify, they will bring more Japanese beetles to the roses, leafhoppers to the potatoes and aphids everywhere. Keep flowers and vegetables well watered and fed to help them resist the onslaught of the insects and weather.

July 12: Watch for brown spots in the lawn, signs of the sod webworm. Give plenty of water to the infected area and treat with pyrethrums. And, don’t cut the lawn too short while the summer is at its hottest; let it rest a little longer than you would in June, and cut it high.

Mind and body clock

Dog Day heat and the influence of the waxing moon keep seasonal stress relatively high throughout the week. Give yourself plenty of time to accomplish tasks during this part of the month. If you are going on vacation, try to eliminate as many extra chores, side trips and activities as possible in order to maintain a low level of personal stress and allow you to deal with all the meteorological stress.

Fishing calendar

Fish in the evening throughout the period, especially as the waxing moon moves overhead near midnight. After the July 6 cool front moves across your fishing hole, Dog Day conditions keep the barometer stable until the approach of the July 14 cool front. As that second major weather system of July gathers momentum, be on the water as much as possible.