Southern cooks know to watch ‘astrological signs’

Sherrie Morris of Boone, N.C., says: “Country girls know you’ve got to follow ‘the signs’ of the zodiac when making sauerkraut – and I can assure you, I wouldn’t do it any other way. (I’ve tried and it ended in disaster!) It’s not something I can explain, but I know it to be real.” 

She’s not the only one. 

Editors of “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” report “there are different traditions as to when the best days are to can or to make pickles or sauerkraut, and astrologers also have different interpretations.”

 “The almanac’s astrologer goes by ‘the dark of the moon’ when the moon is in the astrological sign of Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces (water signs). The dark of the moon (waning) is between the full and new phases.” 

There are other traditions, however, that go by different astrological signs, such as those signs associated with the “Man of Many Signs,” as depicted in the Almanac. (You will find him on page 224 in the 2021 edition of the Almanac.) 

The best times to make sauerkraut relate to when the dark of the Moon is within “the signs that are above the man’s waist,” such as Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer and Leo. 

Avoid dates when the moon is found in the signs that are “below the waist.” 

Don’t pass this age-old wisdom off as just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. If you do, you’ll be sorry. 

The late Eula Vines of Boone, a mentor of Sherrie Morris, always said: “Never pickle when the sign is in the feet.” 

If you try to overrule “the signs,” you’re asking for “kraut that goes soft and smells bad, like dirty feet.” 

The first-time sauerkraut maker needs to brush up on his or her astrology before forging ahead. When in doubt, consult the Almanac. It’s been the go-to guide of the “farming community” since 1792. 

The 2021 edition recommends the best sauerkraut-making dates coming up this winter are Feb. 3-5 and March 3-4. 

Middle and northern European farmers in 15th century were accustomed to long, cold winters, and they would anticipate the passing of feast days of the “three chilly saints” – Mamertus, Pancras and Gervais – May 11-13. Traditionally, these dates were the last of frosty nights of the season, according to editors at The Old Farmer’s Almanac. 

“It was never safe to plant until the ‘three icemen’ were gone. Another bit of folklore claimed: ‘Who shears his sheep before St. Gervais’ Day loves more his wool than his sheep.’” 

According to an old English proverb: “Ne’er cast a clout till May be out.” The translation is: “Don’t take off your winter clothes till the end of May.” 

In central Europe, May 15 was the feast day of Saint Sophia, known fondly as “Cold Sophie.” She would produce rain that would “wash away” the last shreds of cold weather, preparing the soil for planting.

The Rev. Stephen P. Morris, a Roman Catholic priest at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Hancock, N.Y., is an Almanac fan who read about the “chilly saints” in the 2016 edition. 

“I’d venture if we were to talk with the ‘holy three’ they’d reveal a much greater interest in the transformation of icy or chilly hearts than protecting corn seedlings from the night frost,” Rev. Morris said. 

“The Christian religion isn’t about the weather, but about the transformation of hearts. We’ve cultivated all kinds of ways to keep Christ at arm’s length,” he said. “Holy Ice Saints, pray for us!”