HayMaker’s Punch
You’ve heard the phrase “Dog Days of Summer” but do you know what it means? Most assume it refers to the weather and the hot humid sultry days of the season, but in reality, it is based on what’s happening on an astronomical level. The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists the traditional timing of the Dog Days: the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11, coinciding with the heliacal (at sunrise) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. The rising of Sirius does not actually affect the weather (some of our hottest and most humid days occur after August 11), but for the ancient Egyptians, Sirius appeared just before the season of the Nile’s flooding, so they used the star as a “watchdog” for that event. Since its rising also coincided with a time of extreme heat, the connection with hot, sultry weather was made for all time: “Dog Days bright and clear / indicate a happy year. / But when accompanied by rain, / for better times our hopes are vain.”
Just last week we also hit Mid-Summer – now you’re going to say wait a minute we just celebrated the Summer Solstice two weeks ago or so, how can it be mid-summer? Mid-Summer refers to the time of year when traditionally we are halfway from when crops were planted and when they will be harvested in the fall. And this refers to mainly grain crops. In other words, it refers to the growing season and not the seasonal calendar.
Did you know that the July full moon (July 13th this year) is referred to as the Buck Moon? This is because this is typically the time of year that the bucks would shed their antlers. It is also sometimes referred to as the Haymakers Moon since July is when most farmers used to put up their hay for the winter.
One of the ways farmers used to quench their thirst during haying was to drink something that was often referred to as “Haymakers Punch” or Switchel. I’ve made this drink before and can attest to its ability to quench your thirst and provide that extra bit of energy to keep going – It’s a simple drink to make and once you’ve tried it, you’ll want to make it again and again.
Here’s a classic Haymaker’s Punch recipe that I use to make this drink:
1 gallon water
1 1/2 cups maple syrup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
Served at room temperature or over ice is fine – store it in the fridge and it will be fine for about a week. I like it with maple syrup but you can use honey or another sweetener. You could cut back the sweetener, too. Find the right balance for you. Remember to start with less—as you can always add more. Haymaker Punch shouldn’t coat your mouth; it should taste refreshing. You can also add some freshly squeezed lemon if you prefer a bit of zing.
So, whether you’re celebrating the July 4th holidays, the coming of the Dog Days of Summer, the Buck Moon or you want to acknowledge that summer is “half over” I encourage you to pour yourself some Haymakers Punch or another thirst-quenching beverage and sit back and enjoy this time of year. Thank you for your support and hope to see you at the market this week!
Greg
Millbrook Farmers Market Manager
PS. To my new friends from Kent, Ct who shared with me how much they love our market and come out to it almost every week it was great to meet you, and I look forward to seeing you again this week.