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Rural 'home
office' centered on farmer's almanacby Delbert Trew
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There
was a time when every rural home featured wall space containing a
wooden crank telephone, a Seed & Feed calendar, a telephone directory
and an Old Farmer's Almanac.
The telephone was the miracle link to the outside world, and the directory
listed the neighbors' numbers plus hand-written addresses of every
person and every business known or needed by the family.
The give-away Seed & Feed calendar listed the dates, holidays, rainfall
amounts, birthdays of both humans and livestock, and a handy foldout
pocket to hold all current bills and receipts. A slot held a bullet
pencil and either inside or on the back of the calendar, a spreadsheet
was printed to record a financial accounting of the current year's
business. This small but significant wall space was the equivalent
of today's modern office facilities.
Last and most importantly hung the latest issue of The Old Farmer's
Almanac.
Established in 1793, it is the oldest continually published periodical
in America. Its success is attributed to the entertainment features,
tried and true helpful hints, the 80-percent accuracy of long-range
weather predictions, and the 100-percent truthfulness of advice and
common sense offerings.
Actually, the booklet is an astronomical calendar listing times and
dates of seasonal and natural phenomenon occurring from the changing
phases of the moon.
The Trew clan always has been true believers in the moon signs. All
crop and garden planting dates were carefully calculated and listed
on the calendar. All seeds were soaked or dusted with Garrett's Snuff
to keep the worms and birds away.
Time and again we learned 12 hours too early or too late meant a poorly
sprouted crop.
Grandpa Trew could kill blue weeds and Johnson grass by deep-plowing
on a certain day in August. A lifetime of experience leaves no doubt
working livestock produces better results if the proper signs are
observed. Transplanting trees and shrubs is more successful if you
mark the south side and plant it back facing the same direction, all
under the signs recommended in the almanac.
Springs and creeks produce more water during certain phases of the
moon.
Grandma Trew believed babies should be weaned and potty-trained by
the signs.
Dad thought a calf crop should be weaned by the moon signs.
Cousin Clifford Mathews wouldn't go fishing unless the sign was right.
In looking back, I find it strange that with all the attention paid
to the moon signs that no one ever mentioned they were a Leo, a Scorpio
or other zodiac sign. Is this a different type of sign?
Well, I have to close now and plant my onions. They are sweeter if
you plant them by the right sign.
© Delbert
Trew
"It's All Trew"
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August 7, 2005 column
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