Wheel of the Year

Mabon

Mabon is another name for the Autumn Equinox. It falls on or around 22nd September and is the time when day and night are of equal length, although generally the nights are growing steadily longer with the approach of the Winter. Other names for Mabon include Herfest and, in Wales, Gwyl Canol Hydref.

Mabon is thought of as a second harvest festival as the reaping continues and the final reckoning would have once taken place of how successful the harvest had been. The trees and bushes are laden with nuts and fruits, in our vegetable patches and allotments the root vegetables are now ready for gathering. It is time for the final feast before the long famine of the Winter.

We feel the Earth energies shift once again as we begin to change from the outward-looking activities of the Summer, spending days out in the Sun, to being more inward-looking and introspective, spending time sheltered indoors from the harsh weather outside. Mabon, as the last festival in the Old English year, is also a time for looking back at what we have achieved over the past twelve months.

Simple Vegetable Pie

1lb butter beans, cooked
4 medium potatoes
8 medium tomatoes
oil
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
tarragon
parsley
black pepper
salt

Cook the beans and prepare the mashed potatoes. Scald the tomatoes, remove their skins and chop them coarsely. Sauté the finely chopped onion in a little oil until golden. Add the tomatoes, some crushed tarragon and a little parsley. Let the mixture cook for a few minutes, then add some water and simmer very gently for 1/2 an hour, adding more liquid if needed. Add salt and pepper. Place the cooked butter beans into a pie dish. Pour the sauce over the beans and cover with a thick layer of mashed potatoes. Brown in the oven or under a hot grill.

Autumn stick den