Why on this day one should not leave hay and straw under the open sky, be idle and postpone household chores, quarrel with loved ones, or refuse to help those in need.

September 10 in the folk calendar is Anna and Savva Skirdniki. The name of the day reminds of an important peasant concern: by this time they tried to finish harvesting grain and stack hay, straw, and other fodder into large skirds. Autumn was already firmly taking hold, so every dry day counted.

In folk saying: “Savva stacks grain into skirds.” A skird in a peasant household was not just a pile of hay or straw. It was a reserve for the long winter, thus a guarantee that the livestock would be fed and the household would survive the cold without undue worry.

The day was also called Anna and Savva because the Orthodox Church remembers Saint Anna the Prophetess and Saint Savva Krypetsky. In popular consciousness, the church memory merged with seasonal household concerns.

September 10, the Orthodox Church remembers Saint Anna the Prophetess and Saint Savva Krypetsky.

Saint Anna the Prophetess lived in Jerusalem and, according to the Gospel of Luke, after her husband's death she devoted herself to serving God. She was constantly at the temple, fasting and praying. In her

There was also a belief that September 10 was not a good day to set out on a long journey. This was especially true for men who were planning to leave their families. It was thought that such a trip could bring trouble and separation.

Folk weather omens for September 10

• If September 10 is warm and dry, the autumn will be long and mild.
• If it rains, the autumn is expected to be wet and cold.
• If the cranes have already flown south, winter will come early.
• If birds gather in large flocks, cold will come soon.
• If the leaves of the birch begin to yellow from the top, spring will be late.
• If leaves fall from the lower branches, an early spring was expected.
• If frost appears in the morning, cold weather will soon set in.
• If there is a lot of spiderwebs flying in the air, autumn will be warm and prolonged.

What can be done on September 10

• Finish cutting hay – the dried fodder was moved from the field as quickly as possible and securely stacked in bales to preserve it until winter.
• Store hay and straw in bales – this was one of the main household tasks of the day. The well‑being of the livestock in the cold season depended on the quality of the stockpile.
• Clear the remaining harvest – the dry autumn day was used as efficiently as possible, without postponing field work.
• Prepare feed for the animals – they checked the stocks of hay, straw, and other feed, calculating their quantity for the spring grazing.
• Clean up the yard and farm buildings – before the cold, it was necessary to repair damage, prepare barns and storage areas.
• Prepare food for winter – drying, salting, kvass‑making, and processing the remaining harvest.

• One should not refuse help — if a neighbor or relative needed assistance with harvesting, it was customary to support them.

• One should not boast about wealth and harvest — abundance was seen as the result of labor and should not be flaunted.

• One must not throw away bread and grain — the products of the new harvest were treated with special respect.

• It is not advisable to start risky and dubious ventures — it is better to spend the day finishing already begun work and preparing the household for winter.

Name days on September 10 are celebrated by

Anna, Afanasiy, Savva, Vasiliy, Georgiy, Ivan, Moisey, Fyodor.