Frost strikes area in August

By Jack Elliott
Correspondent

Sunday morning August 30, brought a cool surprise for many Rainy River District residents. Frost! And this wasn’t the first time this season.
“We had a touch of frost on the morning of Saturday, August 22,” noted Kim Jo Bliss, manager of the Research Station in Emo, who had noted some frost early that morning on her lawn.
In Rainy River the roofs of many buildings and some cars were coated with the white stuff, although most gardens in the town seem to have escaped damage.
A Stratton resident reported about 20 percent of her squash plant leaves appeared to be scorched but the rest of her plants, many which she had covered were fine.
In Barwick at 3:00 a.m. the temperature had fallen to 32F, reported one resident who had taken precautions by covering her tender plants.
Bliss reported there seemed to be no damage to her own plants north of Emo. Official low temperature at the Emo Research Station was 0.6 C.
“Although nothing here was killed by the frost, the soybeans which are just podding will simply shut down and not mature. Even some of the late seeded grain is so far from maturity it is doubtful it will make it,” observed Bliss noting that the Corn Heat Units- a measurement of the growth season- to the end of July were only 1307 versus a normal year of 1550 to 1650 for that date. Compilation of the data to September 1 was not yet completed.
Rainy River’s Giant Pumpkin Festival scheduled for Saturday, September 19 at the Arena may have more not so gigantic giant pumpkins this year as several growers polled report disappointing production. But the proof will be in the pudding or weigh-ins as Giant Pumpkin Growers are noted for hiding their golden gourds from prying eyes until the last minute. At any rate the pumpkin pie will be delicious.