The Kentucky Meat Rain
Something strange happened on the Crouch family farm.
What started off as a normal day in Kentucky for the Crouch family turned into the strangest day of their lives. On the afternoon of March 3rd 1876, Ms. Crouch was making soap on her front porch. Despite the clear sky, large hunks of meat began to fall from the sky. On average, the meat was fell in 2×2 chunks, though some measured double that size. For several minutes the meat shower rained over the Crouch farm and covered an area five football fields wide. Hunks of meat were found on the farm house, over fences and scattered across the ground.
There was a light wind coming from the west, but the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly. Without any prelude or warning of any kind, and exactly under these circumstances, the shower commenced.Ms. Crouch
Initially, the Crouch family assumed the meat rain was a sign from god, or perhaps a grisly warning. It wasn’t long before news of the strange phenomenon began to spread. Curious neighbors began to flock to the farm.
The general consensus was that the meat was beef.
As it had a similar color and smell, most agreed that the meat was bovine. A local hunter disagreed however, claiming that the meat had an uncommon greasy feel. The hunter, B. F. Ellington (real name, by the way) claimed that the meat could have only come from a bear.
Town authorities eventually collected samples of the meat to send out to chemists and universities. A chemist from Luisville College came to the conclusion that the meat was in fact mutton. Another chemist however disagreed, claiming that it most certainly was not mutton.
Eventually the debate turned away from “what” the meat was and towards “where” the meat came from.
One scientist put forward that the Crouch family had experience a “meat”-eor shower.
According to the present theory of astronomers, an enormous belt of meteoric stones constantly revolves around the sun, and when the earth comes in contact with this belt she is soundly pelted. Similarly, we may suppose that there revolves about the sun a belt of venison, mutton, and other meats, divided into small fragments, which are precipitated upon the earth whenever the latter crosses their path.
This same scientist goes on to offer another, more macabre, explanation. They put forward that the meat could be the “finely hashed remains” of a Kentucky citizen. This individual could have had a bit of “difficulty” with a Bowie knife and the result could have been sucked into a whirlwind.
However, Leopold Brandies had a different explanation for the event.
In an article for The Sanitarian, Brandies explained that the meat rain was simply a Nostoc shower. Nostoc, or star jelly as it is sometimes called is a colony of microorganisms. When this colony comes into contact with rain or water, a protective jelly-like membrane forms around it.
Brandies concluded that the supposed “meat” had actually bloomed on the ground and what had fallen from the sky was simply just rain.
One final explanation was put forward.
Perhaps the least fantastic, and certainly the most disgusting explanation is simply; vultures. A chemist named Robert Peter concluded that the Kentucky meat rain was caused by vulture vomit. Whether it is a defense mechanism that allows them to fly faster or simply reliving themselves of overly full stomachs, it is not uncommon for flocks of vultures to begin vomiting. At the end of the day seemingly everyone involved, including the Crouch family and the surrounding town has accepted this theory as the truth for what the Kentucky Meat Rain actually was.
Ms. Crouch, however, had described the day as being perfectly clear. One would think that if a flock of vultures large enough to cover an area five football fields wide, had flown overhead and begun vomiting, the sky would not be described as clear. I, personally, would describe that as a nightmare.
If you think that is weird…
You should hear us try and solve this mystery on our podcast! Get Spooky is available wherever good podcasts can be found!