Weekly Photo Challenge: Growth


 

Moon

For this weeks challenge I thought I’d show you a picture of the moon that I took a while back. Now you might be thinking “What has the moon got to do with growth?” Well, the moon grows every month from a tiny sliver of a crescent into a great big ball in the sky.

Alright! I know it’s a bit of a tenuous link to this weeks theme, but bear with me.

Did you know that Agricultural Astrology. sometimes referred to as “planting by the signs” makes use of astrological signs for planting, cultivating and harvesting. Guess what it’s based on? Phases of the moon and astrological signs. Maybe not so tenuous after all.

Agricultural Astrology is one of the oldest forms of astrology. Evidence of its practice dates back thousands of years to the ancient people of the Nile and Euphrates River valleys, where farmers of these civilizations planted by the Moon‘s phase and its sign in the zodiac.

Although I had never heard of it until today “The Old Farmer’s Almanac“, first published in 1792 regularly features a “planting by the signs” section.

Although Agricultural Astrology is primarily used as a guide for growing crops, it has also been applied to the practice of animal husbandry. For example, Agricultural Astrology encourages poultry farmers to set up their chicken’s eggs to hatch when it is a new moon and in a “fruitful” sign. It claims that chicks hatched during this time grow faster and produce more offspring.

Well do you believe it? Can the phases of the moon influence crop growth? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this…

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23 replies to “Weekly Photo Challenge: Growth”

    1. Thank you and you’re welcome. I always try to pick up all of the related articles to my weekly challenges. Mainly I use zemanta, which WordPress, provide as part of the blog set-up. Does not too bad a job…

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    1. It’s amazing what you find out with a little bit of research. I lived in Italy for three years, right out in the country, next to an old farm. To me they were just planting, maybe they were following the traditions of your father as well.

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  5. Thanks for the pingback. I loved your take on growth – I seriously contemplated posting on an eclipse of the moon which we watched a few years ago. It was awesome!

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  14. Being a moon child – born in July; the sign of the moon – I believe that many things are influenced by the changes in the moon including farming. It has been a known fact that the ancient Mayan followed the moon cycles, as well. I like your thinking out-of-the-box. approach to this weeks challenge. The only thing is that the moon looks like an orange that has been out too long. Gosh – I like the nice shiney perfectly round moon. I suppose I can adjust my image of it. ~~~~~~ : – )
    Thanks for the pingback – it’s greatly appreciated.
    Isadora

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