The presence of the University creates a more stimulating intellectual climate in that region and the scenery is beautiful. There, we were close enough (but not too close) to big towns to have our pick of jobs when we wanted them. The place we’ve lived that we liked best was near Columbia, a little north and slightly east of the center of the state. The southwestern section of the state has a warmer climate but the Ozark Plateau that angles across the southeastern corner is comparable to the very northern part of Missouri with, maybe, an even shorter growing season. We have our last spring frost (we plan on it!) between April 15 and May 1 and our first frost of the fall usually occurs in early October.
These are the extremes and are not typical in January we sometimes have days that register 50 or 60 degrees. The temperatures here can go below zero in winter and, once in a while, will climb above 100 in the summer. If you like seasonal weather, Missouri has a pretty nice climate. They also have a better idea of what they CAN’T do. We plan far more than we’ll probably ever accomplish but–after a few harsh winters out where nature isn’t scraped away by the street department–a family just naturally has more confidence in themselves and what they can do with their resources. And, now that the seed catalogs have come, we plan a lot. Winter is grim because there’s not much to do outside, so we stay inside and read a lot. If only we had a hand pump instead of instant electric water, we wouldn’t get into such a situation! Still, there’s nowhere else we’d go and nothing else we want to do. These are the days when the pipes are frozen, the animals need water, all the dishes are dirty and the light bulbs we’re using to thaw the pump keep breaking. Even with our rural community ties here in Missouri–far from the Canadian wilderness and the blizzards of the west–there are times when we feel like shucking it. Winter is the homesteaders’ time of trial. The climate of Missouri offers an ample growing season.
0 kommentar(er)
