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PRINTTurkey of a name
We associate Candy and Halloween with October. Mention November and thoughts go to the turkey and Thanksgiving. But how did the Turkey get it’s name? Some people say that Christopher Columbus had a lot to do with it.
As you know, when Columbus discovered land, he thought he was in India, a country overrun with peacocks. When he saw wild turkeys roaming the new land, he assumed they were a type of peacock (turkeys are actually a type of pheasant). So, Columbus named them “titka” which is “peacock” in the Tamil Language of India.
Other people believe the turkey got his name from Native Americans. They called the turkey “firkee”. Still others believe it has something to do with the noise a turkey makes when it is frightened, “turk, turk, turk”. So, your guess and story is as good as mine. I am always fascinated with the origin of names. More on turkeys and Thanksgiving as we go along.
New England is being pelted with rain and some snow in higher elevations. It does my heart some good because we talk about storms with possible snow in our predictions. I hope this is a sign of what is to come later this month and a white Christmas for much of the US and Canada
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turkey, Thanksgiving, snow, white Christmas
Peter Geiger is the Editor of the Farmers' Almanac. Read his full biography here.Free Weekly eNewsletter
Farmers' Almanac Long Range Weather
February 8th - February 11th
- Northeast U.S.
Wet snow mixed with rain Mid-Atlantic north through New England; slushy accumulations of 4+" possible.
- Midwest/Great Lakes U.S.
Accumulating snows Kentucky, Ohio, then clearing. Fair elsewhere.
- Southeast U.S.
Wet snow Tennessee, western North Carolina; wintry mix northern Mississippi, Alabama. Elsewhere, rain, then clearing.
- North Central U.S.
Drier, much colder.
- South Central U.S.
Snow parts of Arkansas, then clearing, cold. Clear, much colder elsewhere.
- Northwest U.S.
Drier, but colder.
- Southwest U.S.
Drier, but noticeably colder.
• View entire Long Range Weather Forecast »
• Farmers' Almanac 2011-12 Winter Outlook »
• View the Almanac Daily Planner »
If you notice a hole in the upper left-hand corner of your Farmers' Almanac, don't return it to the store! That hole isn't a defect; it's a part of history. Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to nail holes into the corners to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1910, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.