“A black snake in the field is a sign of a bountiful harvest”—& More Farming Superstitions

Artist extraordinaire James Grasdal is putting the finishing touches on the 13^th book in the Superman Duffy comic series—MYTHCONCEPTIONS. Which, you may have guessed has a little something to do with common “myths.” I love myths! So for this year’s A to Z Blogging Challenge, I’m going to “bust” as many of them as I can—every day (except Sundays) on the blog, throughout April.

Not familiar with the A to Z Challenge? Get the details here, and then hang on, because I’m about to blow your mind with my myth-inspired posts. P.S. Comment on the blogs throughout the month for a chance to WIN a complete set of the Superman Duffy comics, including lucky #13, MYTHCONCEPTIONS.

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MYTH: If you find a black snake in your field, it’s a sign of a bountiful harvest.  

Let me be clear, if I find a black—or any colour snake—in a field, garden, or pretty much anywhere other than in a glass enclosure, I’m not sticking around to check the harvest. I’m running as fast as I can, Superman style.

But it turns out that some farmers may be some of the most superstitious people around. And according to lore, superstition and the good old Farmer’s Almanac, black snakes are good luck…when you find them in your crop. Err…remind me next time I run around my grandpa’s canola farm to keep a look out—even though the Red Deer, Alberta area is not known for it’s snakes!

Just like yesterday’s rain post, there’s no real “science” to back up the (very) long list of superstitions I found, so I can’t really BUST these historic myths. But I do find some of them quite interesting, and thought you might too!  Ready? Okay, here goes!

• Planting seeds when the moon is in fruitful signs—which include Taurus, Cancer, Libra, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces—will provide a more bountiful harvest.
• Pest control, weeding, and digging should be done when the moon is in the barren signs of Gemini, Leo, and Virgo.
• Planting anything that grows above ground, like flowers and vegetables should be done when the moon is waxing, moving from new to full, in order to get the best results.
• If the wind is frosty and It comes from the North, plants will be fine. If it comes from the South, it will be very harmful.
• Placing rusty nails or iron items in the garden when seeds are planted will help them grow.
• Crops should be sown from North to South, never from East to West.

So…how many of those superstitions do YOU believe. I’m going to take this list to my grandparents and see what they say. I can handle anything…except snakes! <shudder>

Tomorrow is last post of the week for the #AtoZChallenge and then we hit the home stretch. Can you believe it? See you tomorrow for the letter “T”! And don't forget to comment for your chance to WIN a complete set of the comics!

~ Chase Superman Duffy