Autumn Countdown: 5 weeks to go - Harvest & Homemade Bread (3 recipes)

Autumn Countdown: 5 weeks to go - Harvest & Homemade Bread (3 recipes)

The last moments of July... and only 5 weeks until September. I’m excited, but in a calm way, if that makes sense? One thing we can be sure of in this life is the passage of time and that our beloved Autumn will return each year. So although I’m excited for the cosy days of the BER months, I’m not rushing anything. I simply enjoy the days as they go by. There’s a certain sweetness in the anticipation - slowly watching as the seasons turn and Summer becomes Autumn.

📅 Sunday, July 27th, 2025
Today marks 5 weeks until Autumn!

Next week we’re entering August - the first day of that month is traditionally celebrated as the beginning of harvest in folk festivals and rural traditions. Early August is when grain crops (especially in climates like the UK) start ripening and the first signs of a full harvest appear. For me, it always feels like a true turning point of Summer, heading steady toward Autumn.

First the Summer Solstice and the shortening of days and now the beginning of harvesting crops and preparing for the long, cold months of Autumn and Winter.

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In Celtic tradition, August 1st marked Lughnasadh - a festival of the first grain harvest, particularly celebrating wheat, oats and barley. In Christianised Anglo-Saxon England, it became known as Lammas Day, from “Loaf Mass.” Farmers would bake a loaf of bread from the first wheat harvest and take it to church to bless the crops.

As you see, whether rooted in pagan tradition or Christian, the beginning of August and the harvest season is a time of gratitude for food and nature’s bounty for all people, no matter of nationality or religion.

Last year, my mum - whose family has deep roots in farming - reminded me of the old Polish saying: "Od Świętej Anki, chłodne wieczory i poranki," which roughly translates to: "From Saint Anne's Day onwards, the evenings and mornings turn chilly."

It acknowledges that although the sun is still high and mighty, its power is waning and the first chill of the coming Autumn can already be felt in the early mornings and late evenings. August is a traditional harvest month and nature "knows" that cooler days are coming, so many plants rush to finish their growing cycles.

(Below, Left to right): 1. Our kitchen, dressed for harvest season 2. My very first homegrown tomato!!! 3. Funny-shaped courgettes from the garden:) 4. Our “Farmhouse” candle, cosy as ever 🕯️

A Gentle Task for This Week

In both Celtic Lughnasadh and Christian Lammas, bread symbolised gratitude for nature's bounty. This week, I encourage you to bake your own bread at home as a way to celebrate the beginning of August and the harvest season.

Below I’ve shared 3 recipes I use regularly:

1. If you own a Dutch oven (a heavy, cast iron pan with lid), try this no-knead recipe:
Easy Yeast Bread – No Knead by Recipe Tin Eats

2. If you own two loaf baking trays, this is the bread I bake twice a week for my family and it is also pictured in this post:
Tastes Better From Scratch – Bread Recipe
Note: I use only 1 tbsp of sugar. The original ¼ cup makes it too sweet for our liking.

3. If you only have a regular baking tray, try making these soft dinner rolls - we often use them as burger buns too:
Soft Dinner Rolls – Sally's Baking Addiction

Of course, if you don’t have time to bake or it’s just not your thing, there are other lovely ways to acknowledge this special time in the year. Why not visit a small, independent bakery and treat yourself to a good loaf of bread or a few warm buns? It’s a great way to celebrate in the season and support local business at the same time.

Also feel free to share any of your favourite bread recipes - myself and other readers would love to check them out! I think there’s a certain feminine bond in sharing trusted recipes.

A few closing words

Next time I write to you, it will already be August... the last month before September arrives. This is when I really start feeling that “cosy mood”: nesting, preparing our home for colder days and stocking up the shop with pumpkin candles and seasonal decorations in preparation for September the 1st.

I’m really looking forward to August - I promise, it’s going to be a very cosy month here on the blog!

Thank you for reading,
Adriana x