‘Old Farmer’s Almanac’ has little to say about fried chitlins

This week’s edition of the newspaper marks the final edition of 2021, and the New Year will ring in at midnight tonight (Friday). Every year around this time, I always pick a new copy of “The Old Farmer’s Almanac.” This book has been in continuous publication since 1792, and my grandparents swore by it.

Both of my grandparents from down below Frisco City grew up in the Great Depression, and they stuck to many of the old ways they learned while growing up on small family farms. Not only did this include studying the almanac, but they also stuck to many other old-timey traditions. Many of these traditions had to do with farming and the weather.

Around the first of the year, they kept a piece of scrap paper on the kitchen window sill. They’d use this piece of paper to keep up with the weather conditions on the first 12 days of the new year. According to them, this informal record would serve as a homemade guide to what the weather would be like for the rest of the year.

For example, if it rains on Jan. 1, then the month of January will be generally wet and rainy. If Jan. 2 is especially cold, then February will be a really cold month. If it’s windy on Jan. 3, March will be a blustery month and so on and so forth.

One of my favorite New Year’s traditions that my grandmother put stock in was the practice of eating black eyed peas on Jan. 1. I like to eat black eyed peas on just about any day of the year, but when she fixed them up with some of her New Year’s cornbread, it was hard to beat. Definitely not a bad way to begin the new year.

I’ve heard of folks putting pennies in their pot of black eyed peas on New Year’s Day. Supposedly, this brings good luck. I don’t remember if my grandmother did this, but I was probably so busy eating that she could have had a half dollar in the bottom of the pot for all I knew.

All his working life, my dad was a meatcutter and for a number of years when I was in high school, we both worked together at the grocery store in Frisco City. Around this time of year, he stayed busy making sure that there was enough ham hocks and hog jowls to go around. People would use these items to flavor up their peas and collards, but again, I don’t remember my grandmother doing this. I think she put bacon or ham in her peas.

Lots of people eat chitlins around the first of the year too. I’ve only eaten them once, and I’d just rather have black eyed peas. I did have the boiled kind, and I’ve been told that fried chitlins are better. Maybe one day I’ll get the chance to broaden my horizons with a big plate of fried chitlins.

In the end, I’m sure that many families have their own unique New Year’s traditions. If so, I’d like to hear about them, especially if they bring you good luck or good fortune.