Imbolc Salutations

Imbolc is the first Celtic celebration of the year, and it honors the goddess Brigit, who represents the pregnancy of life.

To celebrate the growing light, the seeds we sowed in January that are now sprouting, and the bulbs that we planted out in the autumn are beginning to appear. All around us are carpets of snowdrops showing us nature is waking up and a new cycle is beginning. As we cut back the dead foliage and tidy up shrubs to give space for new growth. See this happening in your life release the past and see spring Imbolc as a new beginning in the extraordinary year.

Create a bonfire in honor of Brigit with all the foliage and dead wood you have cut back and write down and burn anything you want to release from last year as this is a celebration of fire, of the sun returning to give our plants light to grow.

New year, new home, keeping me busy, and a new garden for us to enjoy. I have already brought my early potatoes to go in when the weather warms up. I have not yet decided where they are going to go in the garden. I do know I am going to put in a no-dig bed. And just focus on a few things as I get to know the garden and where and when the sun falls. As we are a mostly north-facing garden.

In season.

Cauliflower crucifers contain boron which supports the endocrine system, the glands that produce hormones to support the hypothalamus, thyroid, and adrenal glands, among many other functions. Did you know the healthiest way to eat cauliflower is raw as they are easily digested, and that provides the purest form of benefit from the cauliflower. Try grating it and using it in a winter salad or as a garnish over soup.

Purple Sprouting broccoli is another vegetable that is best eaten, ‘al dente’ as the more it is cooked the less the nutrients are beneficial for the body. Broccoli is an all-purpose multivitamin that supports the immune system with antioxidants as well as helping the glands, blood, and organs. A super vegetable. And did you know Broccoli sprouts are higher in vitamins and minerals than even regular broccoli, so I am going to get sprouting. I will let you know how that goes.

Wild Garlic will be in the woods and glades from March. Garlic is of course known for its beneficial properties with blood pressure and heart disease when eaten regularly as well as being antibacterial. Wild garlic has a milder taste still with the benefits of normal garlic and is easier to digest than the bulbs. Have you heard of black garlic, aged garlic bringing a sweetness and umami flavor. Find out more here:

https://www.blackgarlic.co.uk/

In the night sky, Venus and Saturn are visible in the north. Jupiter in the south and Mars is in the east.