Tusser's Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry

Thomas Tusser, Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie (1573; enlarged 1580), the farming year in verse, month by month, grown from his Hundreth Good Pointes of 1557.

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First published in 1573 and reprinted many times; the English Dialect Society edition of 1878 is the one most often reprinted, and modern editions turn up.

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1 to 25 of 27 entries

7 January

2 February

Shrove Tuesday

Ash Wednesday

12 March

25 March

Easter Sunday

1 May

3 May

1 June, not tied to the day

24 June

1 August, not tied to the day

24 August

29 September

Folklore from the old calendars

Fresh herring and fat crones at Michaelmas No longer kept EnglandMichaelmas brought fresh herring in plenty and the fattened crones, old ewes too worn in the teeth to keep the sheepwalk.
Saint Michael and the marsh wall No longer kept EnglandMichaelmas was the time to mend the sea walls round the coastal marshes before the winter tides.
Stying the boar for Hallowtide brawn No longer kept EnglandAt Michaelmas the boar was shut up in his sty to fatten for brawn, ready for killing at Hallowtide.
The new farmer comes in at Michaelmas No longer kept EnglandMichaelmas was when a new farmer took over his farm and had to start his husbandry afresh.
Winter fruit gathered after Michaelmas Lore and belief EnglandFruit meant to keep was to be gathered with the moon on the wane, and winter fruit not until Michaelmas was past.