September Moon
With September comes the Autumn Equinox, the year turns and our days become shorter. Michaelmas arrives, the end of the harvest is marked with festivals, and the nights begin to draw in.
The colours in nature change. Swallows and other birds leave our shores for warmer climes. Berries, nuts and seeds abound and the safe gathering in of the harvest, of all growing things, and of ourselves, becomes our preparation for the darkest time of year and the cold season ahead.
In the Celtic agricultural calendar, this month’s moon is called the singing moon or the wine moon, both of which reflect all the celebration and bounty of this harvest time of year. These ideas are captured in the making of Harvest loaves, corn dollies and berry wine or cordial.
It is a tradition that blackberries are not harvested after Michaelmas Day (29th). A Hebridean custom is to pull up our last carrots and also to bake Bonnach Struthan or Struan Cake to represent the fruitfulness of our harvest fields. Southern areas of England make Apple Cake as a spiced autumn treat.
This month’s full moon falls on Saturday 26th September. We hope that you will enjoy some of the activities below as you get ready for your Harvest Moon Meal.
Make Hebridean Struan Cake Make a Dorset Apple Cake
Make a Harvest Heart Make some Elderberry Wine