The Wheel of the Year - Lammas - Lughnasadh

Lammas / Lughnasadh — August 1

First Harvest on the Wheel of the Year

Golden grain bows in late-summer fields, and the comforting aroma of fresh bread drifts from hearths across the land. Lammas—Old-English hlaf-maesse, “loaf-mass”—and its Celtic counterpart Lughnasadh invite us to honor the season’s first fruits, to savor gratitude, and to gather courage for the work that still ripens.

Lammas is a cross-quarter day—one of four solar way-points that fall midway between each solstice and equinox. While the solstices and equinoxes trumpet dramatic shifts in daylight, the cross-quarter festivals reveal what unfolds between those peaks: seeds quickening at Imbolc, blossoms opening at Beltane, grains ripening at Lammas, and harvest giving way to descent at Samhain. Remembering Lammas as a cross-quarter feast reminds us that, even in high-summer’s glow, the Wheel continues toward autumn’s balance.

Lughnasadh means “the assembly of Lugh,” pointing to the multifaceted Irish god at the festival’s heart. Lugh (pronounced loo) is famed for the title Samildánach, “Master of All Arts.” Legend says he founded Lughnasadh to honor his foster-mother Tailtiu, the earth goddess who cleared Ireland’s first fields. The ancient Tailteann Games—athletic contests, storytelling competitions, and bustling markets—celebrated communal excellence in every craft, echoes of which still surface in modern fairs and skill-shares.

Lammas Essentials — Facts, Correspondences, and Sky Notes

Lammas · Lughnasadh

Dates: August 1 (Northern Hemisphere) · February 1–2 (Southern Hemisphere)

Solar Position: Sun at 15° Leo — midway after the Summer Solstice

Elemental Flavor: Fire — confidence, generosity, creative drive

Celestial Influences: Leo season fuels bold self-expression · the Sturgeon Full Moon (early August) lends patient determination

Core Themes: gratitude · skill refinement · community sharing

Colors: gold, deep green, warm orange — hues of ripening wheat and lingering sunlight

Herbs: sage (purification) · rosemary (protection, memory) · chamomile (comfort in transition)

Crystals: citrine (confident abundance) · carnelian (creative momentum)

Traditional Foods: first-loaf breads, berries, corn, local honey

  

Honey‑Oat‑Wheat Lammas Loaf

Bread sits at the heart of Lammas. In centuries past, the first loaf baked from new wheat was blessed and shared as a promise of plenty. This modern honey‑oat‑wheat loaf keeps that spirit alive with pantry‑friendly ingredients and a soft, gently sweet crumb that pairs beautifully with late‑summer preserves.

Ingredients (one 9 × 5-inch loaf)

• 1 cup boiling water
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 Tbsp light brown sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp instant or active-dry yeast
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 ½–1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, as needed

2-in-1 Cast-Iron Loaf Pan
on Amazon

Instructions

1. Soak oats: Pour boiling water over oats. Add butter, honey, and brown sugar; stir until butter melts. Cool to lukewarm (about 15 min).
2. Build dough: Stir in salt, yeast, and whole‑wheat flour. Mix in 1 ½ cups all‑purpose flour, adding up to ¼ cup more if the dough feels sticky.
3. Knead: Knead 8–10 min until smooth and elastic.
4. First rise: Cover and let rise about 1 hour, or until doubled.
5. Shape: Form a log, place in greased pan.
6. Second rise: Rise 45–60 min, until crown domes 1 inch.
7. Bake: Bake at 350 °F for 35–40 min; tent if browning. Cool 1 hour.

Recipe inspired by: “Vermont Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread” – King Arthur Baking

Small-Batch Blackberry Jam (No Pectin)

Blackberries peak just in time for Lammas, offering inky sweetness for winter tables. This three-ingredient, low-sugar jam preserves that flavor and spreads beautifully over warm Lammas loaf.

6-oz Mason Jars
on Amazon

Ingredients (about three 6-oz jars)

• 6 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
• 1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
• 1–1 ½ cups granulated sugar, to taste

Instructions

1. Combine & mash: Mash berries, lemon juice, and sugar in a wide pot.
2. Cook: Boil then simmer 40–45 min, stirring and skimming foam.
3. Gel test: Wrinkle test on chilled plate or 221 °F thermometer.
4. Jar & store: Ladle into jars; refrigerate, freeze, or water-bath 10 min.

Recipe inspired by: Blackberry Jam – Without Pectin – Served From Scratch

Lughnasadh means “the assembly of Lugh,” pointing to the multifaceted Irish god at the festival’s heart. Lugh (pronounced loo) is famed for the title Samildánach, “Master of All Arts.” Legend says he founded Lughnasadh to honor his foster‑mother Tailtiu, the earth goddess who cleared Ireland’s first fields. The ancient Tailteann Games—athletic contests, storytelling, and bustling markets—celebrated excellence in every craft, echoes of which inspire modern fairs and skill‑shares.

Honor Lugh by hosting a craft circle, lighting a golden candle during practice, or gifting fresh Lammas bread to a neighbor.

Craft Corner — Corn Dolly: Weaving the Harvest Spirit

When the last sheaves—bundles of cut grain stalks tied together to dry—were gathered, farmers wove a corn dolly to house the grain‑spirit through winter.

Supplies

• 4–5 dried corn husks
• Warm water bowl
• Natural twine or embroidery thread
• Scissors

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Soak husks 2–3 min; pat dry.
2. Stack and tie ½‑inch from narrow tips; flip tips to form a head.
3. Tie under the fold for a neck.
4. Roll a husk tube for arms; insert beneath neck.
5. Tie under arms for waist.
6. Optional: cross two husks as shawl; secure at waist.
7. Dry 24 hours in warm, airy spot.

Craft inspired by Nitty Gritty Life.

Journaling Prompts

• Which intention planted at Imbolc is bearing fruit now?
• Where do I feel called to refine a talent before autumn’s balance?
• How can I share abundance without depleting myself?

Harvest of Heart and Hands — A Lammas Reflection

Lammas reminds us that gratitude and growth travel side by side. By baking bread, preserving berries, crafting a Sun‑Skill Token, and weaving a corn dolly, we join an age‑old dialogue between earth and heart. May each honey‑sweet slice, inky spoonful of jam, and thoughtfully shaped piece of clay whisper the same truth: abundance expands when we notice it, bless it, and share it. Blessed First Harvest!