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MaryM Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 2:59am | IP Logged
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The practice of planting wheat to sprout has been mentioned here on occasion but I can't find a thread devoted to it, so I know we haven't talked about it in depth. I've learned about it in other places on line and some oop print books then wrote a short post for O Night Divine a few years ago. We have planted the Christmas wheat a couple times. It is planted to sprout and be ready to add to the manger as a soft bed for the Baby Jesus by December 24. The new green shoots are also a reminder of the new life born in Bethlehem (and wheat represents the "Bread of Life" - and Bethlehem - house of bread).
I don't seem very good at planning ahead to get it sprouted in time. I'm marking it on my calendar to do again this year though.
I have seen it associated with both St. Lucy's feast day and St. Barbara's. Different cultures do it at different times. It seems the Italians, Hungarians, and Croatians plant on St. Lucy and France, Ukraine, Romania, Yugoslavia set out seeds to sprout more in association with the Feast of St. Barbara. Doing it on St. Barbara's feast day (Dec. 4) gives it a lot more time to sprout and develop. It would be tall enough to cut. Doing it on St. Lucy day (Dec. 13) is closer to Christmas so produces a shorter growth.
If you do this Advent tradition, which date do you choose? Did any of you do this growing up as part of your ethnic tradition?
And this year I'm thinking of it in enough time to actually order a kit. The Confraternity of Penitents sells St. Lucy Wheat Kits.
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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stellamaris Forum All-Star
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Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 7:01am | IP Logged
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Thanks for this reminder, Mary! My wheat kit is on its way! This is a wonderful tradition I have been meaning to start for several years as my husband is both Italian and Hungarian. I always forget, though! Not this year...thanks again !
__________________ In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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MaryM Board Moderator
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Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 1:36pm | IP Logged
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Finding some lovely photos of the blé de la Sainte Barbe (wheat of St. Barbara) used to decorate the tables at Christmas.
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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MaryM Board Moderator
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Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 1:39pm | IP Logged
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Croatia's "božićna pšenica" or "Christmas wheat" planted on Saint Lucia Day. Decorates the table on Christmas.
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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stellamaris Forum All-Star
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Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 3:12pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for sharing those pics, Mary!!
__________________ In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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JennGM Forum Moderator
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Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 4:38pm | IP Logged
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I've always wanted to do this! Thanks for the reminder and link, Mary!
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
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CrunchyMom Forum Moderator
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Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 6:58pm | IP Logged
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Well, I have about 25 pounds of wheat berries in my freezer from before we gave up wheat (when we were grinding our own flour). Not sure I'll need that much
__________________ Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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MicheleQ Forum All-Star
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Posted: Nov 29 2011 at 8:42am | IP Logged
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Oh what a lovely idea! I have einkorn wheat berries in my cupboard that would be perfect for this!
__________________ Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
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MaryM Board Moderator
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Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 5:54pm | IP Logged
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So is everyone doing this tomorrow? Or did you do it on St. Barbara's feast?
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
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JennGM Forum Moderator
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Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 6:01pm | IP Logged
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Planning on tomorrow!
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
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Mackfam Board Moderator
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Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 6:27pm | IP Logged
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MaryM wrote:
So is everyone doing this tomorrow? Or did you do it on St. Barbara's feast? |
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We hope to start ours tomorrow, St. Lucy's feast. On St. Barbara's we try to bring in branches to force so they'll be in bloom for Christmas. I've always wanted to have one of those long-ish, rectangular shallow planters for our St. Lucy day wheat sprouting. Maybe one day I'll get one.
__________________ Jen Mackintosh
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stellamaris Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 6:32pm | IP Logged
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We're doing it tomorrow as well! I decided on St. Lucy's Day since my children are part Italy as well as Hungarian. And some Swedish, too, so St. Lucy is the all-around favorite here! We only have a few grains of wheat here, but down in Virginia I have a 25 lb. tub of hard spring golden wheat. Next year I'd like to bring up a cup or two to sprout. The picture you posted looks so lovely and lush with the larger amount of grass and the ribbon tied around it, Mary!
__________________ In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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JennGM Forum Moderator
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Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 6:36pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
MaryM wrote:
So is everyone doing this tomorrow? Or did you do it on St. Barbara's feast? |
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We hope to start ours tomorrow, St. Lucy's feast. On St. Barbara's we try to bring in branches to force so they'll be in bloom for Christmas. I've always wanted to have one of those long-ish, rectangular shallow planters for our St. Lucy day wheat sprouting. Maybe one day I'll get one. |
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I have a lovely wreath type form that is hollow--it's to place flowers floating on it, but I keep thinking it would be so nice to plant the wheat. Next year, if this works out. We only have a few seeds right now.
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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momtomany Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 13 2011 at 7:53am | IP Logged
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Thanks for the reminder to plant ours!
__________________ Mary Ann in PA
wife to MIchael, mom to Elizabeth, Becca, Tim, Peter, Andrew, Sarah, Matthew, John, Leah and Joseph
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Grateful in VA Forum Pro
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Posted: Dec 13 2011 at 11:28am | IP Logged
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Ordered mine when I saw this in Nov. Planting it this afternoon. Thanks so much, this is new for our family this year.
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MaryM Board Moderator
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Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 4:37pm | IP Logged
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Bumping... so folks have plenty of time to order or get wheat locally to plant on St. Lucy day.
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM Board Moderator
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Posted: Dec 12 2012 at 3:02pm | IP Logged
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Planting your wheat seeds tomorrow?
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
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jawgee Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 12 2012 at 5:04pm | IP Logged
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Of course!
We got a dozen for our Classically Catholic Memory homeschool group from Confraternity of Penitents.
__________________ Monica
C (12/2001), N (11/2005), M (5/2008), J (8/2009) and three angels
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MaryM Board Moderator
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Posted: Dec 06 2013 at 3:25pm | IP Logged
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Bump...
Too late for St. Barbara, but not for Saint Lucy.
Who has been doing this the last several years? We have and have found it to be such a lovely and symbolic centerpiece.
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
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LeeAnn Forum Pro
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Posted: Dec 13 2013 at 1:26pm | IP Logged
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I came across a nice blog post about Christmas wheat customs:
A French Christmas - the feast of St. Barbara
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