Space Farms takes hiatus from Groundhog Day due to death of Stonewall Jackson IV

By Laurie Gordon

WANTAGE — “Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today.” The famous line from the movie “Groundhog Day” didn't ring so true this past Feb. 2 as New Jersey temperatures were in the 50s. Although the town of Punxsutawney, PA, is the most famous venue for Groundhog Day predictions, one little fellow who has predicted the coming of spring for the past seven years in New Jersey wasn't able to make the scene this year.

Stonewall Jackson IV was a bit of a rebel. For the past four years, he had vehemently disagreed with the world's most popular groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. Space Farms' groundhog was supposed to make another prediction. However, he died before Groundhog Day, and the traditional celebration at Space Farms was canceled for this year.

“I went to get him out of hibernation on Monday and found that he had passed away,” said Assemblyman Parker Space, owner of Space Farms. He said that Stonewall Jackson IV had a long life for a groundhog, they usually live three to six years, and had come through with a Groundhog Day prediction for seven years.

“We were hoping to get one more year out of him, but I guess it wasn't in the cards," Space said. "Maybe we should have put a few girlfriends in his den with him, but when he went into his den in late fall, he was nice and fat and plump.”

Space said Stonewall Jackson IV will have a successor who they'll start “nurturing in the art of weather predicting” in the spring. It will be named Stonewall Jackson V. The Groundhog Day prediction has been going on for 20 years at Space Farms. It was started by Parker Space's dad, who came up with the name Stonewall Jackson.

“We're just glad that Stonewall IV died peacefully in his sleep,” Space said, “It's a far contrast to the poor groundhog on Staten Island who got dropped by Mayor DeBlazio and broke his neck last year. At least Stonewall went peacefully.”

Last year, Stonewall Jackson IV predicted an early spring. But it was Punxsutawney Phil who got it right and New Jersey weather stayed below the average until into April.

Out at Gobbler's Knob early Tuesday morning, Phil emerged from his tree trunk cage to the roar of the crowd gathered to see his prediction. After close interpretation of his behavior by The Groundhog Club, it was pronounced, "There is no shadow to be cast! An early spring is my forecast!"

Other famous New Jersey groundhogs include Essex Ed, who resides at Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, and Milltown Mill, in Milltown. The Milltown ceremony was broadcast live on NJ TV. Milltown Mill disagreed with Punxsutawney Phil, his handler proclaiming: "It seems pretty warm for a winter's day, but don't let your thoughts go astray. The sun is up and the shadow I see; six more weeks of winter for you, and back to hibernating for me."

Last year, Essex Ed predicted six more weeks of winter. This year, Ed is apparently in deep hibernation, so his understudy, Otis the hedgehog, filled in for the 11 a.m. ceremony. Turtle Back Zoo officials told us that Otis did in fact see his shadow.

Mark your calendar for next Feb. 2 to see what Stonewall Jackson V has to say at Space Farms.