Three Common Cold Weather Myths

Autumn has officially arrived, and the weather is certainly proof of that. It is no secret that fall/winter is not my favorite time of the year.Sure, the fall colors are beautiful and all, but I am just not a fan of cold weather. It makes me cranky, which makes this a perfect time to address three common cold weather myths that have been accepted for generations. Let's set the record straight.

MYTH #1 -  THE COMMON COLD: ‘Children! Put your hat, scarf and mittens on before you go outside or you’ll catch your death of cold!’

FACT: You cannot ‘catch’ a cold because you forgot your mittens…or because it is cold outside. The common cold is a virus spread via GERMS…touching a doorknob that a snotty nosed kid just touched, and then rubbing your eyes…or picking something up with your contaminated hands and then putting it in your mouth. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the cold weather. Think about it…people get colds in the summer, too.

MYTH #2 - THE CHANGING OF LEAVES -  ‘Wow…seems chilly for this early in the season…the leaves are really changing colors..."

FACT: Leaves changing colors really has has nothing to do with the cold temperatures…it has to do with light, or the lack thereof. As the days get shorter, the leaves change color because they are receiving less light.

MYTH #3 - CHICKENS: It's so cold, the hens have stopped laying eggs.

FACT: As in Myth #2, this phenomenon is due to the short days, not the weather…the less light, the fewer eggs. This is why artificial light in the hen house in critical if you want to enjoy fresh eggs all winter long.

Oh, and here's one more cold weather myth…and it seems it occurs earlier every year - "Fall is here, it's time to start Christmas shopping."’  Seriously?? Before Halloween? I am pretty sure this phenomenon  has nothing to do with cold weather or the lack of light.