How Much To Plant

This is for average use of your fruits and vegetables for foods you like okay and use when it's available. If you really love it, add an extra plant or two for each person that loves it. Plant recommendations are Per Person you are feeding. If you are only growing for in-season eating, select the number from the eat fresh column and multiply it by the number of people you have in your household. You will probably still have extra, assuming no catastrophe strikes your garden. If you are...

First Harvest Reflections

The feast of the First Harvest is a feast of little bits. The garden is full of promise, but not full of ripe produce. We have some zucchini, an eggplant, maybe even a tomato, but hardly enough of anything to make a meal, but together, with a handful of herbs, couple eggs from the hens and some cheese from the farmer's market, they make a passable vegetable lasagna. A few other odds and ends, six green beans and a carrot, with some scraps from the lasagna noodles and we've got a hearty soup....

A Simple Kitchen Witches Herb Garden

Gardening can be intimidating and, for those of us who do not have our own patch of dirt to tend, it can seem nearly impossible. But growing and using your own herbs is quite satisfying and can only improve our magical relationship with them. And if you don't have your own patch of dirt, many herbs grow quite satisfactorily in pots on a windowsill or a porch step. Here, I hope to list some of the easiest and most useful herbs for a start toward your magical herb garden. Obviously, this is not an...

Gardening By The Moon

Gardening according to the phases of the moon is an ancient practice. Those of us who garden as an expression of our spirituality and our connection with both the Earth and our ancestors may wish to incorporate the moon phases and the lunar calendar into our gardening. There are generally two things that are considered when gardening by the moon. The first is the moon phase and the second is the astrological house the moon is in. Read on to find out how they each affect your plants differently....

The Moon in Gemini

The moon in Gemini shines its light on our social lives and encourages us to network and connect on a mental level. The full moon in Gemini is usually the Long Nights Moon in December, though it could be the Hunter's Moon. The New Moon in Gemini takes place in May or June. The Gemini Moon and Your Magick New Moon to First Quarter (Lunar Day 1-8ish) This is a great time for any magic related to gaining or sharing knowledge. Also spells designed to attract like-minded people and for sending out...

Ritual In Honor Of Apollo

You will need: 2 candles placed in the center of your kitchen table Incense (pref frankincense) Olive oil Salt Bread A glass of wine or juice Offering dish Decorate the altar (i.e. The kitchen table) with symbols of Apollo. Images of Him, bow and arrow, tripod, musical instruments, esp lyre. Begin by washing your hands with soap and water or with a salt or sugar scrub. Light the incense. Asperge the area and yourself. Set the incense back on the altar and let it continue to burn. Light the first...

The Berry Moon

I know the traditional name is Strawberry moon, but those aren't the only fruit we're excited about this full moon. Saskatoons, raspberries, blackberries, cherries and blueberries are either ready to pick or will be soon, depending on the weather. (Not to mention broad beans, sweet peas, snap peas and salad greens). The berry moon is all about celebrating the first signs of your hard work coming to fruition. It's all about that little squee of joy you get from the back of your brain when you...

Celebrating Diversity

Timing This ritual is suitable for when the moon is waxing in Gemini or Aquarius. Supplies: A map of the world, either a cardboard globe or a map stapled to a cardboard backing of bulletin board. Several tacks in different colors. Enough so that each participant can have a color and have several tacks for their own use. (Alternatively you could use stickers instead of tacks) Have everyone bring a dish to pass that represents their ancestry. Meditation: Begin with a basic relaxation exercise....