Borrowed Days (2023 - Ongoing)
The last three days of March are said to be the borrowing days. These are supposed to be unusually stormy, and therefore the story arose that March had:
“borrowed them from April in a last-ditch attempt to extend his influence over the spring weather, before March winds gave way to April showers.”
A rhyme originating from Staffordshire sums up the belief:
“March borrowed of April,
Three days, they say;
One rained, the other snowed,
And the other was the worst day that ever did blow”.
The same story appears in a Spanish folk-tale:
A shepherd promised to give March a lamb if he would reduce the strength of his winds, and thereby safeguarding the flocks against harm. But once March had done so, the shepherd refused to hand over the lamb. In revenge, March borrowed three days from April, and used them to produce even fiercer winds in order to pay back the shepherd for his deceit.
Yet another piece of folklore contradicts the “borrowing days” theory. It is said that towards the end of March there is often a period of fine, sunny and warm weather, which brings the blackthorn into bloom. But once the plant has flowered, the weather then turns cold, a period known as the “blackthorn winter”. Which only goes to show that whatever the theory you wish to prove, somewhere there will be a piece of folklore which does so.
Borrowed Days- March 2023 - Chives, Dill, Parsley
Borrowed Days - March 2024 - Cayenne Pepper, Chive, Basil, Dill, Courgette, Cucumber, Bell Pepper
On this particular borrowed day (March 2024) we may consider a piece of Shropshire folklore that states that it is fortuitous to sow seeds in your garden on good Friday. The soil was redeemed from the Devil’s grasp on this day, so it was worth planing your potatoes and parsley. It was also one of the only days farmers had free. This too tracks horticulturally (albeit Easter is particularly early this year) the soil has started to warm, making conditions better for germinating seeds. This year the planted seeds are non-native seeds that have become everyday staples.