July's Ripe Corn Moon

By Elizabeth Poland

Every month, you'll find that the full moon has been cleverly nicknamed to indicate which crops are thriving.  These nicknames go back to the Native Americans who once dominated our lands and expanded greatly on the field of agriculture. 

The moons were named not only to reflect the agriculture peaking at the time, but also to keep track of their time. The Native American calender revolved around the cycles of the moon and what crops were associated with that time of the year. 

This  month's moon, the Ripe Corn Moon, was named by the Cherokees to mark the best month for summer crops.  The Ripe Corn Moon not only indicates the best time for corn, but all summer crops like squash, zucchini, tomatoes and cucumbers. 

The names for each month vary among the different tribes, but are reflective of the crops they considered staples.  Where the Cherokees referred to the July moon as the Ripe Corn Moon, the Algonquin referred to it as the Squash Moon. 

Although these names are now a cheeky way to remember what crops are best at the time, they also remind of us how dependent society is on careful, methodical agriculture. These societies based their sense of time and a yearly calender around the development of different crops used to sustain the community. Agriculture always has been, and always will be, part of the foundation of any society or culture. 


This week's market will have an abundance of these summer veggies like tomatoes, corn, squash, zucchini and cucumbers in addition to: an early selection of apples and peppers, honey, beef, pork, eggs, bread, goats milk, goat cheese, pasta, mushrooms, blueberries, blackberries, fresh plants, handcrafted items and so much more!

Also enjoy free water and coffee as well as live music. 

The Saturday market is at the Courthouse in Downtown Watkinsville from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., and the Tuesday market is at the Watkinsville First Christian Church from 4 until 7 p.m.