Forget Woolly Worms and Find Kentucky Hedge Apples Which May Predict Winter Weather

If you've stopped finding woolly worms, are fresh out of persimmons, and can't get the squirrels to sit still long enough so you can examine the fur on their tails, well, there's still ANOTHER way you can predict what kind of winter Kentucky is going to have.

Hedge Apples

But first, you may need to be introduced to this thing; I had to be. I have seen hedge apples before, but did not know what they were. I certainly wouldn't have guessed that they are apples.

I appreciate this guy telling us we can't eat these, but I was way ahead of him. However, I must admit, they are fascinating. So, since we cannot eat this disgusting fruit filled with a "sticky latex substance," it's a good thing that it does serve a purpose, and it's really up to us whether or not we want to believe it.

Hedge Apples as Weather Predictors

But hedge apples are yet another way to predict the winter. In fact, as the Farmer's Almanac explains, there are three things to look for about the hedge apple, or Osage orange...

1) They typically fall from trees in late September or early October. If they fall later than that, we're supposed to have a cold, snowy winter.

2) If the trees bear more fruit than is normal, we're looking at a harsh winter.

3) Larger-than-average hedge apples mean colder winter temperatures. Smaller ones indicated mild temperatures.

And while the guy in the previous video doesn't recommend eating them, it's not because they're poisonous. It's because they have an unpleasant texture and flavor. Neither of those factors stopped this young lady, however.

The next time you see hedge apples, keep in mind what you've learned, and then, if you believe the Farmer's Almanac, and depending on what you find, get the heavy winter clothing ready.

[SOURCE: Louisville Courier-Journal]