Lammas, Aug. 1

In the Wheel of the Year, Aug. 1 is called Lammas and marks the first of three harvest holidays. This U.K. postage stamp acknowledges the pagan origins of the holiday, also known as Lughnasadh.


Bread is a part of the Lammas holiday. Probably here in New Jersey, the main harvest item is zucchini right now, so why not make some zucchini bread?

The Wheel of the Year is marked with eight holidays, including the solstices and equinoxes. Anyone who spends a lot of time outside becomes aware of the changing seasons and can appreciate how holidays arose around planting and harvests in the old days. Those who are in air-conditioned offices all day are somewhat divorced from nature and may not have the same sense of the seasons turning to harvest time. But one can enjoy the bounty of nature on Lammas, even if it comes from Trader Joe's!

--Bernice