Old Farmers Almanac

O.F.A. 9-1-10

September 3, 2010

“Keep your nose to the grindstone” is an old adage, and there must be a reason for it, but why would anyone want to do that? –T. M., Baker City, Oreg. Answer: Sounds gruesome, doesn’t it? The reference is to the sense of smell, however, rather than to any sort of applied friction to the nose itself. A good miller could detect the smell of granite if the runner stone and bed stone of the gristmill were too close together during grinding. Millers were constantly adjusting the gap between the two huge, wheel-shape stones to best accommodate the size...

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O.F.A. 8/25/10

August 27, 2010

How did the tradition of eating cake at weddings begin? –R. M., Yorba Linda, Calif. Answer: The wedding cake is thought to have originated with the Egyptians. It started as a cake of wheat or barley, and it was broken over the bride’s head to signify fertility. As time progressed, it evolved into the tiered cake like what we use today. It was considered good luck if the bride and groom could kiss while leaning over the cake without knocking it over. During the reign of King Edward II of England, weddings cakes started to be iced white. Last,...

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O.F.A. 8-18-10

August 20, 2010

Was witch hazel named for witches? -R. H., Eastman, Ga . Answer: Renowned as a remedy for everything from aches and pains to insects bites, complexion problems, and burns and sunburn, witch hazel would have been a constant in any midwife’s, witch’s, and country man’s or woman’s medicine cabinet. The name, however, probably came from the derivative of Middle English wyche, or Old English wice, meaning “to bend” or “be pliant,” as with the wych elm (Ulmus glabra), also called witch elm. The witch hazel is a small tree or large shrub with very pliant branches, much like alders,...

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O.F.A. 8-11-10

August 13, 2010

We hired a baby-sitter recently who didn’t know how to use our rotary telephone. How is this possible? -D. N., Indianola, Iowa Answer: Do you remember how to crank a phone, put the earpiece to your ear, speak into the box on the wall, and ask the local operator to connect you with the corner grocery store? Maybe you do, but faced with a crank phone and no dial, most Americans today would be at a loss. The situation is similar for today’s teenagers, who have grown up with push-button (touchtone) phones and may never have seen a rotary...

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O.F.A 8-4-10

August 6, 2010

We have black raspberries growing wild. Some years they do well, while other years there’s little fruit. How can we encourage them? -R. B., Falmouth, Maine Answer: Early spring or late fall applications of fertilizer may help, especially where you are, in a more northern climate. If it’s possible to till around the plants without disturbing their roots too much, this might also help in the long run by eliminating some of the competing weeds. If the berry patch is too thickly grown to be able to till, just apply the fertilizer around the base of the plants and...

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O.F.A. 7-28-10

July 30, 2010

Why is it that “to spruce up” means to get tidy? Are spruces any tidier than maples or birches? -P. L., Charlevoix, Mich. Answer: Well, we might argue that any conifer (except, perhaps, the deciduous tamarack) is neater than the deciduous trees that litter the lawns with their leaves every autumn. It’s not the evergreen quality that gives the spruce its reputation for tidiness, however. Rather, spruce takes its name from the Old French “pruce” or German “preussen” for Prussia, and was first used to refer to Prussian leather. Someone who was getting “spruced up” was putting on his...

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O.F.A. 7-21-10

July 23, 2010

I’m wondering why “to get your goat” means to annoy someone. -F. B., Chippewa Falls, Wisc. Answer: The phrase comes from horse stables, and – oddly — especially the stables of racehorses. Highly bred racehorses can be kind of skittish, as you might imagine, and the practice of putting a goat into the stall of a nervous horse was recognized as an effective way to soothe and calm the horse. The goat befriended the horse and set a quieter tone; probably its small size would also discourage much flailing around if the horse was sensible of the goat’s continued...

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O.F.A. July 14, 2010

July 16, 2010

Do marigolds really discourage garden pests? -G. R., Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Answer: This is another old wives’ tale come true. Not only does the scent of the marigold (Tagetes spp.) repel animals and insects, but the underground workings of the marigold will repel nematodes (microscopic worms) and other pests for up to 3 years. If the spent blossoms are deadheaded, the plants will continue to bloom profusely. In flower arrangements, strip off any leaves that might be under water in the vase; this will discourage the overly pungent odor. The English marigold, or pot marigold, is really a calendula...

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Ask The Old Farmers Almanac

July 9, 2010

If only female mosquitoes bite, then what do the males eat? -R. W., Colchester, Conn. Answer: Plant juices and nectars. The female needs blood in order to bring her eggs to maturity; otherwise, she might be just as vegetarian as her mate, we assume. Troubled by mosquitoes? Hold your breath. Some people believe that the mosquito cannot extract its stinger if you’re holding your breath, and it will die. A similar theory holds that if you physically tighten the skin around the area where the mosquito has bit, either by clenching your muscles in that area or by stretching...

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O.F.A June 9, 2010

June 10, 2010

I’ve heard that in some cultures it is considered taboo to remove a periwinkle from a child’s grave. What’s the significance of the periwinkle? –C. S., Mt. Pleasant, S. Car. Answer: Well, first, it’s the plant of the genus Vinca. It is a trailing perennial plant with glossy, dark green leaves, woody stems, and bluish-purple flowers. You often see it growing in great clusters under trees and in other shaded spots, as a long-blooming ground cover. Because the blooms begin in the early spring, they have been associated with springtime and innocence. In fact, one theory is that the...

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