Half way to Spring

Candles at church service known as Candlemas

February 2 is Ground Hog Day but in the Christian calendar it is Candlemas Day.  Candlemas is a Christianized version of an agent pagan observance of the beginning of spring. It marked the half way point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
Winter will have another fight.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter won't come again. - an old saying

 

 

The faithful brought their year's supply of candles to Candlemas to be blessed.  In the Roman Catholic Church it became the day that Jesus was presented at the Temple and Mary was purified after giving birth to Jesus.

 

 

In the Celtic world it is also known as  Imbolc or St. Brighid or Brighid's day. When I Googled the term and asked for images I found all kinds of Imbolc greeting card images like this one.

 

Imbolc, part of the Celtic Calendar

 

The peasants were encouraged to turn the soil and plant some seeds on Candlemas day. Here in southern Ohio, even though we are now part of planting zone 6, its a good bet the ground is still frozen on February 2, or at least too cold and wet to plant anything. You can still participate in this ancient ritual by planting a pot of basil or some other herb and placing it in a sunny window. 

 

Sprouted broccoli and purple cabbage seedlings aka micro greens

For my part I am planting a flat of micro-greens and frost seeding my pastures. The micro greens will come from all my left over 2012 seeds.  I have loads of broccoli, radish and other seeds from last year. I might as well us them up and increase the nutritional value of my green salads by adding some sprouted veg. They are quick and easy to grow in  seed starter mix in a pot on a sunny window sill.

Frost seeding the pastures is a good way to get some additional nutrition into my cattle's diet.  Legumes are recommended, mostly clovers, though rye is also considered a good choice for frost seeding. With my hand cranked seeder I can walk the small pastures (less than 3 acres) and broadcast seed and let the freeze and thaw of the February weather along with the heavy hooves of the cattle, work the seeds into the soil.  The warmer weather in March and April will sprout the seeds and hopefully help to overcome annual weed seeds left over from last year.