How Much Snow Will Missouri Get? Legend Says Cut Open a Persimmon

Call it superstition if you want, but legend says that if you'd really like to know how bad a winter is going to be in Missouri, you need to look at the inside of a persimmon. There's just one problem with this theory though.

You can find a persimmon in every part of Missouri except the northwestern counties according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. That's a problem for several reasons. As the Farmer's Almanac mentions, persimmons can be a way to determine how severe winter will be in Missouri according to what they describe as "folklore".

The seed of the persimmon is the key to look for if you're curious about what Missouri's winter will be like.

• If you see the shape inside of a persimmon seed that looks like a fork, Missouri winter will be mild
• If you see a spoon, look out because Missouri is gonna have a very large amount of snow this winter
• If you see a knife shape inside of a persimmon seed, Missouri winter will be bitterly cold

Does this sound like tomfoolery to you? You won't be the only one laughing, but ask a Missouri farmer (not in the northwestern counties) and they'll tell you it's worth a peek. You never know if the persimmon might just hold the key to figuring out how severe Missouri winter will be.