Spring, what a big change!

There's something in the air, don't you think? A feeling of warmth, a surge of energy, like the flora and fauna starting to chirp again and breaking through the snow. This time of year is commonly associated with spring cleaning, but it's much more than that. The Sauvage-s team is committed to telling you more. You'll see, it's fascinating!

1. Astronomically, what is it?
2. The garden is back!
3. Good spring health
4. What do we collect?
5. It's time to celebrate!

1. Astronomically, what is it?

We mentioned this in the last article: the seasons are the result of the Earth's rotation around the Sun (what we call the revolution) and its tilt at 23.5°. It's a story of light and the angle of rotation relative to the Sun!

Today we'll talk about the March equinox, which marks spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. This year, it falls on March 20, but sometimes it falls on March 21 or 22.

The equinoxes are the times of year when neither hemisphere tilts favorably toward the Sun: days and nights are equal because the Sun strikes at the equator, that is, in the middle of the Earth. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here's a diagram to help you understand the concept!

https://www.alloprof.qc.ca/fr/eleves/bv/sciences/les-saisons-et-la-revolution-de-la-terre-s1394 

2. The garden is back!

Weather-wise, spring is often chaotic in Quebec: temperatures and sunshine increase, but there are still snowfalls and frost. It's also a time when heavy rains and melting snow can cause flooding. The first half of spring, therefore, hardly allows for a return to the garden. Never mind: this leaves more latitude to plan the season!

March-April

It's high time to order your seeds and start sowing indoors. Simply find a window, preferably one facing east, or use LED lights to ensure balanced seedling growth. They'll then produce robust seedlings to transplant into the garden after the last frost. An interesting article from Jardins de l'écomene will help you choose the right lighting.

Agastache shoots under the lamp (2024) @sauvage-s

April-May

Depending on the melting of the snow cover, you can start preparing your garden between April and May. The goal is to aerate the soil, loosen it following the previous year of cultivation and the pressure caused by the weight of the snow throughout the winter. This is also the time to amend your soil, that is, to make it fertile, according to its needs. We share with you an article from Kokopelli that will help you choose your method. You can also remove small plants that you do not want to harvest (weeds) in the rows of your future plantations. Keeping some around the rows will create a beautiful green garden and will help keep the soil moist in summer. You will then need to mulch generously around your plants, then regularly mow the weeds or use a brush cutter before they go to seed.

May-June

After the last frost, often between early and mid-May in zone 6a (near Montreal), it will be time to start transplanting in the garden. It is recommended to wait a good two weeks after this period so that the soil warms up and there is really less chance of a late frost. You will then be able to put your young and robust seedlings in the ground as well as your direct seeds! The following weeks will be important. You will need:

• make sure the seedlings are doing well,
• that direct sowings are watered regularly to allow germination,
• Mulch around the plants to prevent them from being suffocated by weeds and to preserve the soil's moisture.

What a joy to see the plants settle in and flourish!

As you can see, spring is a crucial season for gardening and it requires energy to complete each step.

3. Good spring health

Since spring is more physically demanding, you need to support your body so that it can meet the challenges of returning to work after the famous winter break.

Be in shape to restart your garden well

The days are getting longer and nature is coming back to life: just like the sap rising in the maple and birch trees, a surge of energy is at work in our bodies and minds! We're taking action because it's time to start carrying out what was planned during the winter. Our first piece of advice? Put some aside, don't burn your "energy" capital because you'll need it over time.

Forest Walk April 2024 @Sauvage-s

To keep gardening from becoming too difficult and to help you enjoy it, ease back into physical activity gradually. This also applies to those who don't garden, of course. Daily walks will get you some sun and get your muscles working again. You can also opt for a gentle program with a variety of exercises: legs, abs, arms, and stretching.

Once you've started working the soil, remember to protect your back by keeping it straight and using your legs. The squatting position will be your best friend, so master it!

Food

Spring is a season of transition, and this also translates to what's on your plate. Root vegetables and squash, canned and frozen vegetables from the previous year, rub shoulders with young shoots and the first vegetables of the year. Radishes, asparagus, lettuce, watercress—all that crunch and greenery is good for you! You can make herb soups and green smoothies to enhance these first gifts of nature.

Of course, we couldn't miss out on maple syrup! Did you know that it takes 35 to 40 liters of maple sap to produce 1 liter of syrup? This highly nutritious nectar goes well with both savory and sweet dishes. At Sauvage-s, we use it to round out tomato sauces, caramelize onions, sweeten smoothies and tofu or meat marinades, bind energy balls, and more. It's up to you to create according to your tastes and habits!

Useful plants

In addition to exercise and diet, consuming certain plants will help support your body.

We often hear that in spring we need to purify, detoxify, and cleanse. This is true, but the body is already aware of this and does it on its own. The idea is to avoid taking plants that will overwork the organs due to “excess detox,” which will lead to fatigue linked to a lack of nutrients.

Burdock, dandelion and red clover @freepik @Par Lezard Fleur

The goal is therefore to help it in its purifying mission, while encouraging the absorption of nutrients. We are talking here about alterative plants (remember their name, they are your new best spring friends!). They act in the long term and in depth, by improving the overall functioning of the body. Examples include dandelion, burdock and red clover. You can combine them with an emollient (softening) plant if you tend to dry out quickly (slippery elm, marshmallow, mallow).

We were talking about maple syrup just before, but the maple water it comes from is very relevant because it is purifying, but also remineralizing and it is a general tonic. This mix of benefits is perfect for the season: we need to eliminate the toxins accumulated during the winter, strengthen our bodies and recharge our batteries.

4. What do we collect?

There are many more plants to get your hands on than during the winter. You'll still have to wait for the snow to melt, starting in April or May in more southern regions.

In grassy areas, you can harvest vibrant flowers like dandelion (alterative), coltsfoot, and violet (respiratory system). At this time, the flowers and leaves are edible. It's also the time to get nettle (general tonic), plantain (healing), garlic mustard (garlic flavor and invasive, so no qualms), sorrel (sour), horsetail (healing and remineralizing), and ground ivy (respiratory system).

Photo of fiddleheads, coltsfoot, balsam fir shoots

In the forest, spring has some lovely surprises in store for you: fiddlehead ferns, buds (hawthorn, balsam poplars, spruces, larches) and young shoots (balsam fir, larches, spruces).

Walks from which you will probably return with food to “wild” your dishes!

5. It's time to celebrate!

Pagan festivals associated with winter celebrated the gradual return of light with the birth of the god and the motherhood experienced by the goddess. With spring, it is the rebirth of nature with the blossoming of the god and goddess.

Ostara

During the spring equinox, we celebrate the return of life! We welcome all this energy, we enjoy the light and the return of warmth. We take action! In pagan beliefs, the god becomes independent and learns. The goddess, for her part, becomes a young girl ready to seduce.

One tradition is decorating eggs. If this reminds you of Easter, it's normal! Ostara comes from the name of the Germanic goddess of fertility (Eostre), to whom eggs were offered to benefit from her benevolence. We also eat egg dishes, so if you're not vegan, now's the time to honor them. Another tradition is planting seeds, once again in this movement of procreation, of renewal of life.

@freepik

Beltaine

May 1st is the heart of the matter with the celebration of love and passion: the goddess, having become fertile again, forms a union with the now quite mature god. Incestuous relationships are very common in mythology, it's special, we know 😅

The light is shining brightly with longer days. So, traditionally, there's a big fire on the agenda! It's also a time to take stock of the upcoming production season. A little custom we love: making wreaths and garlands of flowers (yay, life)!

That's it, we've told you a lot in this third article because spring is a busy season! But don't forget to take it one step at a time and take good care of yourself.

Here we go!