Donal Hickey: Early berries a sign of a harsh winter ahead?

This year, I saw red holly berries more than two months ago — trees working hard to feed hungry birds or is that a myth?

Some people believe that if holly berries appear earlier than usual it's a sign of a harsh winter ahead. Picture: Alamy/PA

An elderly farmer of our acquaintance, many years ago, regarded himself as an expert weather forecaster. He had little time, however, for the science of meteorology, preferring instead signs from nature.

He always kept a lookout for the first red berries, loved by thrushes, on holly trees. If they appeared earlier than usual, it was a sign of a harsh winter ahead, he would warn.