As the Season Turns

In June, Lia marks the summer solstice with gift giving and a ritual. The waterlilies are out in the pond and life beneath the surface is thriving - as Alice finds when she dips her microphone beneath the water at Wakehurst Botanic Garden. Zoe explores the folklore of St John's Wort for midsummer and Gwilym closes with a rendition of 'Daw hyfryd fis', a round featuring a familiar June bird. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern in collaboration with the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac, Lia Leendertz. Lia is joined by novelist Zoe Gilbert, composer and sound recordist Alice Boyd and folk musician Gwilym Bowen Rhys. Geoff Bird produces and Catriona Bolt is Ffern's in-house researcher. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co

For May, Lia visits the island of Skomer to explore its distinctive and abundant wildlife, and Alice stays overnight in the National Forest. We listen to nightingales and the dawn chorus, and hear a Mayday wassail from Gwilym. Zoe delves into the folklore of stitchwort and Lia looks out for seasonal plants in the garden. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern in collaboration with the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac, Lia Leendertz. Lia is joined by novelist Zoe Gilbert, composer and sound recordist Alice Boyd and folk musician Gwilym Bowen Rhys. Geoff Bird produces and Catriona Bolt is Ffern's in-house researcher. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co This month's Found Sound was facilitated by Timber Festival, which this year takes place from the 7th to the 9th of July in the National Forest, Leicestershire. Alice Boyd will perform her new EP on the Saturday afternoon, and will be leading a workshop in sound recording presented by Ffern. Tickets are available at timberfestival.org.uk

In April's episode we learn about different degrees of sunrise, plant hardy annuals and make nests for bees. Zoe has foraged for Lady's Mantle, while in the pond the newts are out and about. Alice heads to Dover to record the sea, and we hear an Easter recipe for pace eggs. Gwilym plays 'Blodau'r flwyddyn', an example of 'old verses' - thousands of verses that can be fitted together in different combinations, all to the same melody. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern in collaboration with the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac, Lia Leendertz. Lia is joined by novelist Zoe Gilbert, composer and sound recordist Alice Boyd and folk musician Gwilym Bowen Rhys. Geoff Bird produces and Catriona Bolt is Ffern's in-house researcher. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co

For March, Lia begins with the equinox and ends with the phases of the moon. Zoe explores the mythology of seaweed and we visit a very special island in North Wales. Also in Wales, we hear the story of Blodeuwedd and Gwilym plays a very old love song, 'Lisa lân'. Lia goes back to seventeenth-century England to tell the little-known tale of the Diggers, and Alice heads underwater with her hydrophone. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern in collaboration with the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac, Lia Leendertz. Lia is joined by novelist Zoe Gilbert, composer and sound recordist Alice Boyd and folk musician Gwilym Bowen Rhys. Geoff Bird produces and Catriona Bolt is Ffern's in-house researcher. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co

February's episode explores the first, tiny shoots of spring - the bulbs are emerging, the frogs are breeding and Lia reminds us it's time to plant chillis. We visit the Isles of Scilly for early narcissi and the Mendip Hills for a rainstorm recorded by Alice Boyd. Zoe Gilbert tells tales of snowdrops and to close, Gwilym Bowen Rhys sings 'Ambell i gân', a song to guard against heartbreak and bad weather. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern in collaboration with the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac, Lia Leendertz. Lia is joined by novelist Zoe Gilbert, composer and sound recordist Alice Boyd and folk musician Gwilym Bowen Rhys. Geoff Bird produces and Catriona Bolt is Ffern's in-house researcher. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co

For January, we explore the magic of a winter sunrise. We break the ice on the garden pond and head to the park for a snowy soundscape recorded by Alice Boyd. Meanwhile, novelist Zoe Gilbert has much to tell about mugwort, and we visit Shetland for Up Helly Aa. To close, Gwilym Bowen Rhys plays 'Teg wawriodd boreddydd', a Welsh carol for the new year. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern in collaboration with the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac, Lia Leendertz. Lia is joined by novelist Zoe Gilbert, composer and sound recordist Alice Boyd and folk musician Gwilym Bowen Rhys. Geoff Bird produces and Catriona Bolt is Ffern's in-house researcher. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co

December's episode features a tree dressing ritual to light the winter dark. We spend a final moment with our oak tree and beehive, and hear some pointers for planting evergreen shrubs. We hear about Holda, an ancient winter goddess, listen to the songs of tiny wrens and mark the winter solstice. Ffern Golden Tickets are available at ffern.co/gifts 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern and presented by the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac Lia Leendertz. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co

For November, we lean into this dark time of the year with a focus on colourful leaves, bonfires and a bright bird of the month - the starling. We plant tulips, visit the Bridgwater Carnival and take a peek at the dark side of the moon. To find out about our Gift Memberships, a unique gift for this Christmas, visit www.ffern.co/gifts 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern and presented by the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac Lia Leendertz. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co

In October, our oak tree's leaves are turning brown and beginning to fall. We check in with the bee hive as it prepares for winter, share a recipe for soul cakes, and explore traditions around Samhain. This month's candlelit ritual is for Halloween night - and in the meantime, look out for mushrooms, the season's finest fruit. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern and presented by the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac Lia Leendertz. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co Recipe for Soul Cakes For 12-15 cakes, you will need: 175g butter 175g caster sugar 3 egg yolks 450g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 2 teaspoons mixed spice A few gratings of nutmeg About 100ml milk 100g currants, plus a handful more to decorate Method: Preheat the oven to 190°C, Gas Mark 5. Cream the butter with the sugar until it is light and fluffy and then beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. In a separate bowl sieve the flour and the spices together and add to the butter mixture along with the currants (reserving those for decoration). Mix all together with a wooden spoon and then add the milk and go in with your hands to pull everything together into a dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of around 1cm, and cut out rounds with a biscuit cutter. Make a slight cross indent in the top of each with a palette knife, and then push currants along it. Place the rounds on baking parchment on a baking tray, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until goden. Allow to cool on a rack before eating.

In September's episode, we consider the 'new year' feel of the month and celebrate the Harvest Moon. We go foraging for damsons and acorns, looking out for wading birds along the way. Jupiter is bright in the sky above, and this month's ritual helps us find balance as we move into Libra season. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern and presented by the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac Lia Leendertz. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co