Lots of berries - hard winter coming?

[Two_Sheds]

We just had a hard winter: but I don't remember tons of berries before it. They have come after it.

[rustylady]

Just remembered this thread and had to bump it. I know one year isn't proof of anything but it seems to be true this year at least.

[Mac]

From the experience up here - yes!

[Nicos]

Most of our berries were stripped during that cold snap before Xmas- there looks to be very little left for the birds now
I'm sure there are plenty of other things to eat, but I'm doing my bit to feed them

[Scottishnewbie]

Again, nice thought but as far as I am aware horses grow their coats according to daylight hours not temp. I am willing to be corrected though

i used to think that too but having had horses for 30 years now i am not so sure. in iceland (where my mum lives) they have 24/7 daylight for months on end, yet the horses all grow thicker coats long before winter comes along (when they have 24/7 darkness). so maybe the horses know more than we do....actually the horses ALWAYS know more than we do!

[OllieMartin]

Most of our berries were stripped during that cold snap before Xmas- there looks to be very little left for the birds now
I'm sure there are plenty of other things to eat, but I'm doing my bit to feed them

Are you sure they haven't all been picked by us eager cooks making sloe gins and jams?

[Nicos]

Are you sure they haven't all been picked by us eager cooks making sloe gins and jams?

[rustylady]

Not all of them surely? What about the holly berries and pyracantha? I haven't found a culinary use for them yet so leave them for the birds.

[Alison]

I used some of the berries from my skimmia in my Christmas wreath as I didn't have any holly berries in the garden and the weather was bobbins so I didn't fancy venturing further afield.

[Jeanied]

TBH I can't see how mother nature can predict: but if she can then she has defied all the scientists (phenomenologists?) I was heard to loudly declare that the profusion of berries was a precursor of a hard winter but I was only joking! (nobody expects...)

[trisco]

Not sure if this is the right place to post, but I've noticed lots and lots of berries round here. The orange pyracantha in the back garden is loaded and the blackbirds are already taking advantage. Holly bushes and trees round here also loads of big red shiny berries. Anyone have any proof or ideas as to whether the old saying is true?

Hi folks.

I searched Google for "lots of berries" etc and came up with this thread. Well it certainly proved true last winter!!

The last two winters have been harsh in terms of what we have experienced here in the UK and on both occasions I remember noticing loads of berries and thinking - "What's going on there then? What's causing this?" It must have been something for me to notice as I'm not that conciously aware of nature, so something about the amount of berries for the last 2 years made me wonder.
I remember the winter before - 2007/2008, I don't remember seeing loads of berries but remember that the trees seemed to hold on to their leaves for what seemed like an age... that winter was a pretty average one for us I think?

Anyways, the reason I ended up here is that yet again this year, there are already loads of berries on the trees, some of the trees are already bright red and there are loads of leaves on the ground. This is something that I have noticed and am thinking this is happening even earlier than the last two years?

Is there a possibility that nature does know something before we do and we are in for another possible harsh winter?
There seem to be a few things stacking up in a harsh winters favour after reading around the internet a bit - La Nina- we are now entering a La Nina phase which generally means a cooling of temps I think?
The Gulf Stream seems to have slowed dramatically, which brings up all the warm currents from South America to our shores for winter.
Also sun spot activity - apparently this should be at it's peak in terms of the 11 year cycle it goes through but it is still remarkably low in 2010, scientists think low sun spot activity have an affect on our winters...

I think those berries and leaves know something we don't...

[trisco]

Anyone have any horses with long coats yet??