Lincs Pride MARCH 248.qxp 01/02/2023 14:46 Page 99
SPRING IS ON THE WAY
THE FIRST SIGNS of
SPRING
This month we’re composing a love letter to spring and anticipating all of the sights, sounds and joy that blue skies, longer days, and warmer weather is set to bring... FOR MANY, spring is the best season of all, with blue skies, fresh air, new signs of life and without the sticky, exhausting heat of mid-summer. The beginning of spring is marked officially by the equinox, but unofficially – and subjectively – by some of our favourite signs that the season is changing, and so in a love letter to the season we thought we’d identify a few of the things we’re looking forward to this month... Lighter Days
Solstice refers the longest (in June) and shortest (in December) days in the year, whilst the term equinox denotes the two times in a year (in March and September) when both day and night are equal in duration. The British have also been observing British Summer Time since William Willett first proposed changing the clocks in 1916, which was mandated by the Summer Time Act. In 2023, the clocks will go forward by an hour on 26th March, when we can all look forward to some lighter evenings. In mid-March, sunrise occurs at 6.01am, and sunset at 8.03pm.
Warmer Weather
Just to complicate matters, weather scientists split the year into quarters based on statistics for temperature norms, and begin their spring measurements on 1st March, lasting until 31st May. March sees average temperatures of between 5°c and 12°c, with an average of 40mm rainfall and 107 hours of sunshine. In February, temperatures are about 5°c cooler and there’s only 77hrs sunshine. Scientists have identified exposure to sunshine and our production of vitamin D as beneficial for improving sleep, reducing stress and strengthening the immune system. On the Farm
For livestock operations, spring means lambing and calving. About 16m ewes give birth in Britain each year, and though lambing can take place from November to May there’s still a birth rate peak in March. On arable farms, slurry is spread on fields, drilling of sugar beet, potato crops and peas takes place and cereal crops are sprayed with fertiliser and pesticides. >>
Words: Rob Davis.
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