Autumn and Harvest 2022

Outside, blessedly, it is raining.

It’s the first rain we have had since April, and it seems like enough to damp down the annual wildfire season we suffer through here in California.

Ah, the scent of the wet Earth! The sound of the rain on the roof! The buffets of the wind in the wind chimes, set swinging wildly with each gust!

Finally–only a week after we had temperatures up to 117–it feels the corner has been turned to Autumn, and the season of Harvest.

I live in a richly agricultural region, and now is the time: gardens are pouring out vegetables, and the wine grape harvest, known locally as “The Crush”, is well under way. Apple trees are being picked over and you have to be quite sly to avoid having bags of apples and zucchini squash pressed upon you when you visit friends.

It’s a good time of year.

The fruit stands and farmers’ markets, of course, are full of interesting stuff right now. It’s worth a trip or two to explore and see what kinds of unusual produce you can find.

The traditional thing to do at Harvest, the autumnal equinox, is to hold a feast with local produce and products. It’s a great time to introduce friends and family to mild Atheopagan ritual, with a food blessing and expressions of gratitude before the meal.

Myself, on the exact day of the equinox, Thursday the 22nd, I will be officiating a wedding for some friends, followed, I am sure, by a wedding feast that will serve the Harvest holiday very well.

The Witchy Season of October is almost upon us, but we have work to do before then! I hope your Harvest is a delightful celebration of the abundance of the good Earth and contemplation of times of transition.