Before the days of radar and weather balloons, people had to look towards their natural surroundings to make long range winter weather prediction. Whether studying how many nuts the squirrels were gathering or examining the thickness of the outer layers of onions, folksy clues as to harshness of the upcoming winter months were all people had to go on.
One such method is studying the shape of persimmon seeds. Here’s how it works, wait until the a locally grown persimmon fruit is a bit soft before picking it. Then cut it open and look at the shape of the kernel inside. Here’s how the Farmer’s Almanac describes what to look for:
- If the kernel is spoon-shaped, expect plenty of snow to shovel.
- If it is fork-shaped, plan on a mild winter with powdery, light snow.
- If the kernel is knife-shaped, expect frigid winds that will “cut” like a blade.
While we don’t recommend making ski vacation plans based on the persimmon seeds, its fun to know the time-honored rituals passed down through generations to make meteorological predictions.