Anybody Cut Wood According To The Phase Of the Moon?

[waynek]

I had a couple of Great Uncles that did a lot of their outdoor chores and planting crops according to certain phases of the moon. My Granddad did the chores or planting regardless of what the moon was showing and the three of them were always comparing (or arguing about) the results.

Jackpine

 

[dvellone]

My grandparents did all their gardening according to moon phases - planting and harvesting. If the phases have anything to do with moisture content it might be a good idea.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

If I had to cut any of my wood cutting at night I would certainly try to do it during a full moon.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

What of the what?

 

[savageactor7]

Hard to believe but before electricity most ag life was governed by the sun and moon...glad my time is now.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If I had to cut any of my wood cutting at night I would certainly try to do it during a full moon.

I'll do mine by the phase of the sun.


EDIT: I really should add here that we have experimented with planting by the phase of the moon and we did this for 5 years. We planted some just whenever we were ready but planted most by the phase of the moon. We could tell absolutely no difference in the crops.

 

[waynek]

I helped out these Great Uncles alot in their later years and I should have wrote done some of "wisdom" about when to do what in what moon phase. They insisted that the moon made a difference and the knowledge was handed down to them from their father and grandfather and further down the lineage.

Some examples they instructed me on were:

Cut brush and weeds in a waning moon...it is less likely to come back.

Cut trees in a waning moon to improve the firewood drying process.

Castrate the hogs, bull calves and colts in a waning moon to minimize infection and maximize healing.

Digging fence post holes in a waning moon gives you a real solid fence post.

I could go on and on...but I think you get the picture.

I don't practice what they instructed me on, but I think about the old gentlemen when I perform some the aforementioned tasks.

Just curious if someone had similiar experiences or actually take into account the moon phases.

Jackpine

 

[Shari]

Jackpine,

My extended family lives in southwestern Wisconsin and I recognized some of your instances.

Shari

 

[karri0n]

Generally, things for growth work better during a waxing moon, and things for decline work better in a waning moon. I had never thought of cutting/chopping wood by the moon phases, but it makes sense to at least drop the trees during the waning moon, closer to the new, as this would be when the moisture is at its lowest. Once the tree is already down, I don't think the moon phase would have much to do with it.

As far as planting and harvesting days, there are more astrological references than just the moon and sun. The Old Farmer's Almanac probably has more details on this, as well as the LLewellyn Witches' calendar and Witches' day planner.

 

[waynek]

Jackpine,

My extended family lives in southwestern Wisconsin and I recognized some of your instances.

Shari

Shari, my family has been in southwestern Wisconsin since 1844. It is country where some of the hill fields are so steep you have to plant corn with a shotgun and at least one or two farmers fall off their farm everyyear. Ha Ha

I started the thread to see if any members practice or are aware of some of the old timey ways of cutting wood, etc.

Thank you and best regards,

Jackpine

 

[Shari]

Jackpine,

Yeah, that second bench land is hard not only to farm but also hard to hunt. Climbing up and down the coulée's separates the men from the boys!

Shari

 

[metz]

Some of the hillbillys around here say that trees cut during the full moon will dry out quicker as the trees contain less moisture during the full moon phase.

I've also heard something similar about Ember days.

 

[jabush]

Try this thread...

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/2416/