Planting Time Confusion

I have been doing some research to try to figure out when I should actually plant my seeds and seedlings. According to the local Cooperative Extension, the last frost date is March 15. The manager at the local farmer's exchange says the last frost date has moved and is now around April 15. So, do I go with the first date, the second date or split the difference?

Ample Food Supplies

I found an in interesting report in my mother's papers the other day. She worked with the Cooperative Extension at Clemson University back in the late 1950s. The report, which was from the Extension is titled Ample Food Supplies Available for Good Eating and is dated 1957. It goes into some detail saying that there will be adequate food for civilians, who would eat about as well as in the past year. It goes on to say that while vegetable eating is high for the times, they expected the trend to move toward processed vegetables. In 1957, people in South Carolina spent less for food than the average family in the Southeast, but didn't make up for that by growing more vegetables at home.

I wonder what the out look is for 2009? Our local newspaper speculated this week that we would pay more for vegetables this year due to the drought in California. Will South Carolinians grow more vegetables this year to make up for losses and to overcome the rising price of food in the grocery store? What do you think?