Before daybreak at the start of sowing, farmers gathered ash wood. They then chopped it up into small pieces and put these in with the first seed saying: "Lord our father, build an iron and steel fence around my fields". In order to protect their seeds from the spells of evil people, farmers burned tow fibers and placed hats over them. On the first day of rye sowing no one, not even shepherds, built fires so that the sun would not dry out the seeds.
"LITHUANIAN ROOTS", Edited by Rytis Ambrazevicius