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Real astronomy and dated history, with sources. Documented traditions and folklore. Modern lunar astrology · symbolic, not predictive.

Folklore #244 Folklore & calendar

American farming almanacs say posts set during the dark of the moon stay firm, and posts set on a waxing moon work their way out of the ground.

It is one of the most stubbornly held pieces of almanac lore in North America, repeated by people who believe none of the rest of it. Nobody has demonstrated the effect. The soil-mechanics explanation for posts heaving is frost, which has a season rather than a phase.

Tradition: North American farming almanacs · checked Sep 2026

Tonight's phase needs JavaScript. The phase, the rise and set times and the calendar are all worked out on your device. There is no server doing it for you, which is also why the site has no account. The facts themselves are plain pages and read fine without it — start at Explore.

American farming almanacs say posts set during the dark of the moon stay firm, and posts set on a waxing moon work their way out of the ground.

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American farming almanacs say posts set during the dark of the moon stay firm, and posts set on a waxing moon work their way out of the ground.

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