Everyone in some way is affected every day by what the weather is like. For some people it could be rain

others snow, and still even others too warm or hot. Recently as the days are getting longer with Winter closing

and Spring fast approaching it has been inconsistent ranging anywhere from the 30s to the 70s with rain or

snow or rays of sunshine. The people right now that are most affected would be farmers and gardeners who

are trying very hard to get there crops out and growing. The latest for East Tennessee weather is the fact that

the rain fall is an inch behind which is not good when trying to raise a garden.

Danny Graves has been a gardener for about 55 years dating back to his childhood of growing up on a farm

and majoring in agriculture in High School. He prepares his garden in early spring by softening the ground and

soil so that it is good and rich for nutrients and tearing weeds that have grown over winter.  When March hits

he begins planting his crops with onions and potatoes.

The inconsistencies of temperatures have affected his garden greatly by not producing as he would have

liked and because it has been so dry the last three of four years he has not raised corn.

Though the weather has cooperated and produced much rain and more in the forecast to help water his crops

not all people are excited about the rain. University of Tennessee student Thomas Arnett says "walking to

class in the rain makes him not want to go to class."

If the rain does not come for a certain period of time then Danny can be found at his garden watering his

crops every other day and tries to at least water them 3 times a week if it is really hot.

Mr. Graves says "in April I will put out rest of my garden when I know that winter is officially over by using the

signs of the Farmer Almanac." It will consist of beans, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, okra and three types of

tomatoes.

The future forecast has a chance of rain this week.