Potager Field Notes: August

August brings golden light and the quiet transition from peak summer to late-season harvest. During Lammas the air turns warm and heavy with the scent of sun-baked earth and sweet blossoms. In the potager, seeds begin to set, fruit ripens on the vine, and the studio prepares for the abundance of late summer.

IN THE POTAGER
August is defined by late summer maintenance and seed collection. We collect the second flush of lavender and chamomile while deadheading summer flowers like zinnias and marigolds to encourage continuous blooms. As late August approaches, we begin selecting the strongest, healthiest flower heads to dry for autumn seed saving, ensuring a rich harvest for next spring.

IN THE STUDIO
Studio work shifts toward autumn preparation as we finish our summer pouring cycles and begin testing rich, cozy fragrances for fall. Freshly dried herbs from earlier summer harvests are processed, sorted, and stored in glass jars. The studio hums with activity as we organize packaging, prep candle containers, and layout production schedules for upcoming autumn markets.

CRAFTSMANSHIP
Seed saving and botanical preservation require keen observation. Selecting seeds at their exact point of maturity guarantees high viability for future planting seasons. This continuous 12-month cycle of sowing, tending, harvesting, and saving connects every product in our studio back to the earth.

AUGUST STARGAZING
August features the famous Perseid Meteor Shower, peaking mid-month under dark night skies. Step outside on warm August evenings to watch one of the brightest meteor displays of the year trace swift trails across the sky near the constellation Perseus. On August 28 watch for the Partial Lunar Eclipse as part of the full Sturgeon Moon.

BOTANICAL FOLKLORE
August was traditionally celebrated as Lammas or the First Harvest. Early farming communities gathered the first grains and late-summer herbs as tokens of gratitude for nature’s bounty. Chamomile and sweet grass gathered during August were crafted into protective bundles and hung above doorways to invite harmony and abundance into the home.