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Old peasant rules and also weather rules in March handed down the knowledge and experience of our ancestors. A particularly large number of commemorations of saints were included in these observations, such as Saint Kunigunde.

In a nutshell

  • Feast Day of Saint Cunigunde on March 3rd
  • Kunigunde announces spring
  • Pawn rules are based on experience and weather observations
  • are still valid today

What are pawn rules?

For many centuries, the weather was mainly observed by the farmers in order to derive regularities and connections. This was important because it allowed them to make the appropriate arrangements for their work. The observations were important for the farmers because the weather always decided whether the harvest was good or bad. Since reading and writing was usually a privilege in earlier times, the experience and knowledge gained in the peasant rules were passed on from generation to generation orally and in rhyme. These rules were usually associated with Christian saints, including, as in March, the commemoration of Saint Cunégonde. In addition, the first three days of March can give a statement about the weather for the coming months:

  • "Like the first of March, so spring."
  • "Like the second of March, like summer."
  • "Like March third, so fall."

Notice: In ancient Rome, the beginning of the year was not celebrated in January, but only on March 25th, when the sowing took place normally. As the first month of the year, it was named after the Roman god of war, Mars. In old German, the month is called "Saatmond".

Peasant Rules in March

  • "March rains are not followed by summer blessings."
  • "March shall come like a wolf and go like a lamb."
  • "A lazy, damp March is every farmer's pain."
  • "March sun - short bliss."
  • "Do not fear the snow in March, a warm heart beats beneath it."
  • "When the violets bloom in March, the swallows often flock to Ludwig (August 25)."
  • "Snow that only blows in March, comes in the evening and soon goes away."
  • "If you see yellow flowers outdoors in March, feel free to sow your seeds."
  • "If you sow too early in March, it's often a wasted effort."
  • "If there is too much rain in March, the harvest will bring little blessing."
  • "If March starts dry, it brings bread for everyone."
  • "March dust brings grass and leaves."

Tip: You can find more farmer rules for each month at Plantopedia or here.

March 3rd is Kunigund

With the beginning of meteorological spring on March 1st, the dark and long winter will say goodbye and it will slowly get warmer. According to the calendar, spring begins on March 21st. The feast day of Saint Cunégonde on March 3rd symbolizes the end of the cold season. Kunigunde comes from the Germanic and means so much "family" and "fight". At the beginning of the spring month there is also a struggle between winter and spring, i.e. between the eastern cold front and the western warm currents. Observing the weather that day inspired our ancestors to come up with a wide variety of weather forecasts not only for this month, but they were sometimes decisive for the rest of the year. So there are different weather rules for March 3rd:

"Kunigund makes it warm from below."
Here come the first anticipation of the coming spring. It's getting warm and that's how the cold of winter is driven away.

"Laughing Kunigunde brings us good news."
A beautiful day without rain was a good sign that it was slowly getting warmer and that the farmers could harness their little horses to work in the fields.

"If Kunigunden is freezing, she'll feel it for another forty nights."
Based on the weather observations, not only the approaching spring was prophesied, but sometimes even more cold winter days.

"If it thunders around Kunigund, the winter will be colorful for a long time to come."
Our ancestors had also made their observations during early thunderstorms in the spring month and knew that Kunigunde would not bring anything good.

"When Kunigund is heavy with tears, the barn often remains empty."

In addition, rain was not wanted that day, because it did not have a good effect on the expected harvest that year. According to observations, it sometimes failed to materialize or was very slight.

Daffodils (Narcissus)

notice: Yet another general farmer's rule in March: "March rain brings few summer blessings".

Who is Kunigunde?

Cunégonde is a saint of the Catholic Church. She is particularly honored in Bamberg, where she was involved in founding the diocese. She and her husband Emperor Heinrich II are the patron saints there. Cunigunde had to undergo a divine judgment to prove her innocence as she was accused of adultery. According to legend, she walked barefoot over red-hot ploughshares and was not injured. Her inviolability became a sign of her sanctity and chastity.

Notice: "So much fog in March, so much frost in May, so many thunderstorms in summer." From a meteorological point of view, however, there are no connections here.

frequently asked Questions

What is the significance of the pawn rules in March these days?

Some weather observations handed down in the old peasant rules can still be applied today. Sometimes they give good recommendations for a wide variety of work in the garden. However, due to modern weather forecasting, the old weather wisdom has largely lost its importance.

"A friendly March is followed by a friendly April," is that true?

Even if the weather is mild during the spring month, winter does not have to be over yet. Sleet showers, night frosts and snow showers can still occur in April. Maybe the other way around, March is unstable, usually followed by unfriendly and cool April weather.

What does it mean: "March snow and maiden splendor often hardly last overnight"?

The temperature differences between day and night are now significantly different from the temperatures in the winter months. However, snow can still fall from time to time. This doesn't stay there for long, but often melts away quickly.

What is the meaning of: "March dust and March wind, are harbingers of good summer."?

Spring storms are part of March. Wind is created when a compressive force acts on the air. This flows from areas with higher air pressure to areas with lower air pressure. The midpoint of these flow areas is called the high and low. The greater the pressure difference, the stronger the wind blows. Farmers have always valued the wind as it pollinates crops and ensures a good harvest.

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