Thursday, 1 August 2024

Rounding the Year: Damsons & the First Harvest Fruits

Today is Lammas, a celebration of the first fruits of the harvest, and the damsons are already ripe in my garden. It's a bit earlier than in previous years. While any early ripening reminds me of worryingly of climate change, I'm still happy to once again be cooking damsons I've picked with my own hands. The trees in my garden self-seeded, but I'm delighted they're there.

Damsons are an ancient type of plum and are too sour to eat raw but are delicious in pies and crumbles, made into jam, or infused in alcohol. They're also rich in vitamin C, so very healthy. Magically they are also useful in spells and potions for health and longevity.

While I was doing some research for this post, I discovered a strange bit of folklore.  Pershore, in Worcestershire, has a plum charmer who plays music to the fruit trees each summer. It's apparently a similar tradition to wassailing the orchards in winter. The Independent has an article about the current charmer.

Share your seasonal photos!

I'm inviting people to share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and other creativity. I'll continue this over the months ahead. I'd love to encourage readers to record what's happening in nature in various ways including photographs, journalling, drawing or painting and crafting.

Here are ways to share the things you're doing or what you see out and about as the wheel turns:

  • Leave a comment on this post about what you're up to
  • Find my prompts to share on my Facebook Page: Lucya Starza Pagan Portals Author
  • Share on Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) with the tag #RoundingtheYear

Where to find my book

My book Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year offers more ways to acknowledge and celebrate the seasons in ritual, magic, folklore and nature. You can view the book on Amazon and find it at estoeric bookshops or via my publisher Moon Books: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/our-books/pagan-portals-rounding-wheel-year

(Please note: I earn commission from some links.)

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/08/fruit-plums-or-damsons-from-wild-seeded.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/07/rounding-year-hollyhocks-with-minds-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/06/rounding-year-elderflower-and.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/01/rounding-year-sharing-seasonal-pictures.html

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