Michael Mass Day

Michael Mass, St Michael's Day
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29 September - One of the quarter days, and a celebration of the Archangel Michael.
September 29, the feast of St. Michael and All Angels or Michaelmas fell about the time of the autumnal equinox. The equinox marked the period when the nights would be getting longer and the earth would begin to die. St. Michael came to be seen as the protector against the forces of the dark and so became very popular in the Middle Ages. Many monastaries and churches were dedicated to him, usually on high places near the sea. His feast was celebrated with a traditional well-fattened goose which had fed well on the stubble of the fields after the harvest. In many places, a there was also a tradition of special large loaves of bread made only for that day. By Michaelmas the harvest had to be completed and the new cycle of farming would begin. It was a time for beginning new leases, rendering accounts and paying the annual dues. On the manors at Michaelmas, a reeve was elected from among the peasants to keep watch over the work and to assure that production was up to expectation. If rents or donations of goods fell short, the reeve had to make it up on his own. It was not a popular office. At this time of year, the Aster (Aster nova-belgii) blooms, and it has become known as the Michaelmas Daisy The Michaelmas Daisy comes in many colors, from white to pink to purple.

According to an old Irish folk tale, blackberries were supposed to have been harvested and used up by this date, too, since it is told to children that when Satan was kicked out of Heaven, he landed in a bramble patch -- and returns each year to curse and spit on the fruits of the plant he landed on, rendering them inedible thereafter. So a dessert with blackberries would be perfect.

Activities:
1. Explain 4 requirements for photosynthesis while baking backberry crumble.

Light = heat from oven
Carbon dioxide leaving the plant= smelling it baking
Water= liquid in recipe
Chlorophyll= blackberries and flour (base ingredients)

Bake the Blackberry Crumble
2 cups washed blackberries (thawed if frozen)
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Put blackberries in a 1-quart baking dish with half of the sugar. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Cream butter, remaining sugar, flour, and salt together; sprinkle over berries. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Serve warm or cold with cream, ice cream, or dessert sauce.

2. Make Thanksgiving Cards
After discuss the veins and how food moves through the leaves.