Spring 10 days earlier on average than four decades ago, growers pay the price

[rcjordan]

Pennsylvania grower starts long slog to orchard recovery
https://www.farmprogress.com/orchard-crops/frozen-out-pennsylvania-grower-starts-long-slog-to-orchard-recovery

[rcjordan]

West Coast:

Warm Winter Wipes Out Southern California's Cherries
https://www.newser.com/story/389412/warm-winter-wipes-out-southern-californias-cherries.html

[grnidone]

Also:  there are armadillos in Russell County, Kansas. As well as Sugar Cane Aphids who eat grain sorghum because we have no sugar cane.

As a kid, I remember you only saw Armadillos in central Oklahoma.

[rcjordan]

>Armadillos

NC Wildlife Dept says they're in the southern part of the state now.

Alligators have been creeping northward along the NC estuaries for 15-20 years now.  One or two have been sighted near the VA line.

[Brad]

>Armadillos

Have been counted in southern Indiana.

No gators, yet.

[rcjordan]

>>armadillo

Don't mess with them.

"People may become infected from other people with untreated leprosy or from the nine-banded armadillo, a natural host of M. leprae."

Leprosy in Florida: Medical experts monitoring unusual, new cases of Hansen's disease » Emerging Pathogens Institute » University of Florida
https://epi.ufl.edu/2023/10/16/leprosy-in-florida-medical-experts-monitoring-unusual-new-cases-of-hansens-disease/