Lammas Harvest Mound:  A mound of earth is symbolic of the regenerative powers of the Goddess.  On Lammas, take a trip up a hill.  If possible, do it barefoot and feel the earth.  With each step you leave behind the everyday world and step closer to the world of the Gods.  Feel the summit wind blow your cares away.  Picnic in the open air.

Corn Dolly: The spirit of the corn is preserved for the next crop through the use of corn dollies made from the last stock of corn.  Any colored ribbons used to bind the dollies had meanings attached to the colors: yellow - sun, red - sacrifice, blue - love, green - wisdom, white - strength.

Equipment:   5 - 8 inch hollow straws

                      4 - 4 inch hollow straws

                      Raffin

Tie the 8" straws together in the middle.  Fold in half and tie near the top of the fold making a head.  Using the 4" straws, tie the ends leaving a small portion beyond the ties to make "hands".  Slide the 4" straws into the "body" of the 8" straws forming arms.  Separate the lower section of the 8" straws into two and tie forming legs and feet.  Decorate as desired.

Place on altar at Lammas and at Autumn Equinox (Mabon).  Afterwards hang in the kitchen until spring when it may be buried in the garden.

Colcannon: 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1 onion, finely chopped
Water (enough to boil cabbage and onion in)
6 cooked potatoes, mashed
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Put cabbage, onion and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook for about 8 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
   Next, add mashed potatoes, milk, butter, salt and pepper. Mix well and serve while hot.

Yellowman:

1 lb/ 1/2 kg/ 1 1/2 cups golden or corn syrup
8oz/ 250g/ 1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp butter (heaped)
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp baking soda

In a large saucepan slowly melt together all the ingredients except the baking soda. Do not stir. Boil until a drop hardens in cold water (240°F, 190°C on a sugar thermometer). Stir in the baking soda. The toffee will immediately foam up as the vinegar releases the gas from the baking soda. Pour out onto a greased slab and while just cool enough to handle fold the edges towards the centre and pull repeatedly until the whole is a pale yellow colour. Allow to cool and harden in a greased tin and break into chunks with a toffee hammer - or anything else that comes to hand.

Soda Bread:

1lb/ 1/2kg/ 4 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1pt/ 1/2 lr/ 2 cups buttermilk or sour milk

Sieve the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Scoop up handfuls and allow to drop back into the bowl to aerate the mixture. Add enough buttermilk to make a soft dough. Now work quickly as the buttermilk and soda are already reacting. Knead the dough lightly - too much handling will toughen it, while too little means it won't rise properly.

Form a round loaf about as thick as your fist. Place it on a lightly-floured baking sheet and cut a cross in the top with a floured knife. Put at once to bake near the top of a pre-heated oven, gas mark 8, 450°F, 230°C, for 30-45 minutes. When baked, the loaf will sound hollow when rapped on the bottom with your knuckles. Wrap immediately in a clean tea-towel to stop the crust hardening too much.