The Harvest Moon

"Harvest Moon" (Northern Hemisphere)

Begins Thursday (Sept. 19) at 7:13 a.m. EDT (1113 GMT).

Many believe that the Harvest Moon remains in the night sky longer than any of the other full moons we see during the year, but that is not so. The Harvest Moon's claim to fame is that instead of rising its normal average of 50 minutes later each day, it rises only a little later each night, providing farmers with extra moonlight to reap their crops.

This unusually small daily lag in the time of moonrise occurs because the moon is traveling along the part of the ecliptic (Aquarius and Pisces) that makes the smallest angle with the eastern horizon as seen from northern latitudes.

A Little Bit of Moon Folklore...

Folklore is rich among farmers, given their close ties to Earth and her natural rhythms.

Rail fences cut during the dry, waning Moon will stay straighter.

Wooden shingles and shakes will lie flatter if cut during the dark of the Moon.

Fence posts should be set in the dark of the Moon to resist rotting. Ozark lore says that fence posts should always be set as the tree grew. To set the root end upward makes a short-lived fence.

Don't begin weaning when the Moon is waning.

Castrate and dehorn animals when the Moon is waning for less bleeding.

Slaughter when the Moon is waxing for juicier meat.

Crabbing, shrimping, and clamming are best when the Moon is full.

Best days for fishing are between the new and full Moon. See our best fishing dates for the year.

Dig your horseradish in the full Moon for the best flavor.

Set eggs to hatch on the Moon's increase, but not if a south wind blows.

It was once thought that to sleep under direct moonlight would cause a person to go mad or blind. It was from this lore that the word "lunatic", originating from "luna", or moon, and "tic", meaning stricken arose.

It is bad luck to dig a grave or bury a body during a new moon.

If a new moon occurs on a Monday, then the weather will be clear.

If a new moon occurs on a Saturday, then there will be twenty days of wind and rain.

If a new moon occurs on a Sunday, there will be a flood before the month's end.

The strongest storms and hurricanes are likely to be 1-3 days after a new moon and 3-5 days after a full moon.

 

Happy Harvest Moon My Friends!  Good-bye Summer...