March is traditionally the month when gardeners begin scheming and planning for a season or two spent in the soil. As you plant flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs, we thought we’d revisit how some cultures welcome spring and plant seeds.
The idea of blessing seeds is certainly not new. It was and still is a part of seasonal planting in Native American cultures.
In Catholicism, the Rogation Days are when farmers and gardeners pray for protection in fields and for livestock.
In Sonsonate, El Salvador, there’s a ritual of the indigenous community Los Izalcos to bless seeds before the planting season.
And for some, the spring Equinox is a traditional time to perform special blessings over the seeds which were gathered the previous fall.
Happy gardening!