Harvest Home: In-Gathering: How to Survive (and Enjoy) the Autumnal Festivals (Pagan Portals)

Harvest Home is a great little book that covers the Harvest Festivals. While the book is not very long, it is filled with a lot of historical information, activity suggestions and great recipes to celebrate the Autumn time. The book is broken down into five chapters that include: Aran-manod ‘harvest month’, Harvest Customs, Country Fairs, Barley-month with the Autumnal Equinox and Michaelmas, and Sing a Song of Harvest Home.

The focus on the Harvest time is celebrating the abundance that has been acquired and typically involves a lot of food. The beginning of the harvest time is typically still warm and baking is a popular way to celebrate. This is the perfect time to be thankful for what you have and gathering of friends and family.

Pot lucks are a popular way to gather with friends and share food. The reader can decide whether they want to bring store bought food or try their hand at a few of the recipes located in the book (such as the Lammas Cake).
The author provides some ways to honor this time whether you are working solitary or in a group. I like that they mention the ritual can be as simple or as fancy as you wish it to be.  The harvest time can be celebrated with eating, dancing, music and more.

Again this book provides great historical background on how the harvest time was celebrated and how it can be incorporated into your modern life.

I suggest this book as well as the others in the series for a good well rounded selection for all of the seasons.

~review by Amber Barnes

Author: Melusine Draco
Moon Books, 2022
pp. 96, $12.95