June Gets My Vote For Best Month Of The Year
There is just not a better month in St. Louis than June. And not just because of Father’s Day either. I mean, Father’s Day is pretty much the forgotten holiday. Mother’s Day is a big deal, with lots of thought, cards, presents special brunches & dinners. But come on, Father’s Day is pretty much just “let dad do what he wants and throw something on the barbecue.” So it’s not because of Father’s Day that I love June so much. Truth is, in St. Louis it is hard to find a better month temperature-wise. Our Spring has been cool and rainy and now with June on our doorstep things are in full bloom and the mix of temperature and humidity is PERFECT. Of course that’s just me. I am the guy who also likes the often scourged honeysuckle vine. I know it can be invasive, but we are not talking about poison ivy here. For those of use who have small suburban yards encased with chain-link fence, the honeysuckle is an ideal natural barrier between yards. The honeysuckle on our fence right now is in full bloom and simply gorgeous. The fragrance is heavenly and when the wind blows just right we can smell this delight all the way in the front yard hundreds of feet away. But I tend to like a lot of plants that gardeners and horticulturist call “trash trees” or “volunteer plants” and even that four-letter word … “weed.” I just have this thing for GREEN PLANTS. And after our Border Collie has pretty much turned our back lawn into a farm yard, anything green is welcome in my eyes. I took the old pumpkin from last Halloween and a rotten cantaloupe and buried them in my little corner garden some months ago. And yes, I have healthy plants from the seeds now. I am not sure which is the pumpkin and which is the cantaloupe, but I will find out in good time. I am guessing that these plants will begin to crawl up the chain-link fence and perhaps meet up with the honeysuckle down the way. I am also the guy who likes milkweed vines and of course the pods that later in the season create a billowy seed launch in the early autumn breezes. Milkweed also attracts butterflies and last year we had a Monarch chrysalis alongside one plant. There is nothing more perfect in nature than the look and design of a Monarch chrysalis. If you have not seen one, Google it… or better yet grow some milkweed plants in your yard. I also like clover which again many gardeners don’t care for. Our yard is filled with clover now and I am hoping will help the return of the honey bees. But as you can read about on page 4 there are problems with pollinators these days. And what kid did not spend hours in a clover patch looking for that lucky 4-leaf clover or making a clover-link bracelet or necklace. And promise not to tell anyone, I like dandelions, too. Maybe because the bright yellow adds a nice variety to my yard’s palette. The JFK Victory Rose will soon bloom next to “Prickles” our Blue Spruce and even though it often only produces two or three blooms a year, it is the most fragrant rose on the planet. If I am having a bad day, I just stop to smell this special rose and all my cares just melt away.
June is also the month we offer our readers the Growers’ and Market Guide, followed by an encore appearance in our July issue. This Guide is filled with numerous resources for you and your family to learn more about the people who work hard to grow the produce and create products that we all enjoy month after month, year after year. Many of these farmers and growers offer you the opportunity to come out for a visit, pick your own and see what a farm looks like. June is the perfect month for that as well. I even like June bugs or May beetles because I know that soon the fireflies will come and the cicadas will begin to sing. June is the best month in St. Louis. Oh, and don’t forget Father’s Day…I am expecting a new barbecue grill this year. Happy Father’s Day to my dad Chuck and my father-in-law Kay.
In Good Health, J.B. Lester; Publisher