The Eight Season Year

In temperate latitudes, all ecosystem work follows the cycle of the sun.  All life has evolved to find its place within this annual flux of energy.  Some store energy for the darkness, others make hay while the sun shines.  Solstice and equinox cuts the year into four season.  The midpoints between each have had cultural significance in Europe for millennia (and likely other places as well).  A month is a bit short to contain the feel of a season, but a quarter-year has too much change to organize work.  Eight seasons feels like a right fit for ecological work and restoration camping.

Each season suggests both work and study.  It organizes our thinking about what is coming, and provides a frame in which to build an perennial culture.  Inside our minds time bobs and weaves, but in the garden, timing is everything.  There are moments when creative work is most possible—a hidden fourth dimension in our map of a territory. What would you add to each season, and how do we track time differently when living with the land?

1. Budswell

Late Winter February 1 to March 22 Budswell begins sometime around Brigid’s Day, also called Imbolc ...
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2. Springtime

Early Spring March 20 to May 1 Springtime begins on the Vernal Equinox in late March.  ...
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3. Bloom

Late Spring May 1 to June 22 Bloom begins on Mayday, the apex of growth, when ...
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4. The Drying

Early Summer June 22 to August 5 The Drying begins with the summer solstice, the longest ...
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5. Harvest

Late Summer August 5 to September 22 The beginning of Harvest Season is marked by old ...
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6. Leaf Fall

Early Autumn September 23 to November 5 The beginning of Leaf Fall is marked by the ...
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7. Frost

Late Autumn November 5 to December 22 The beginning of Frost are the last harvest festivals ...
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8. The Darkness

Early Winter December 22 to February 1 Darkness begins with the longest night of the year, ...
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