November. A popular 19th-century song that describes how wonderful and comforting the warm hearth and home is when the weather starts to turn, and the stormy heavens 'blow their bugles to signal in the coming of winter.' Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

December. A very old Christmas song, 'On the Morning of Christmas Day' - likely 15th Century. Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

February. A song to guard against heartbreak and bad weather. Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys

March. A very old love song that mentions flowers, birds, melting waxen hearts - and, of course, death. Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys

April. A song describing the beauty of the singer's love with the emerging flowers of April - but the singer's heart is as brittle as a dry reed. This is an example of 'old verses' - thousands of verses that can be fitted together in different combinations, all to the same melody. Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

May. A Mayday wassailing song, written by a 17th-century poet who went by the name 'Eos Ceiriog' - the nightingale of the Ceiriog Valley. Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

June. A song sung in Welsh schools - usually in a round - celebrating the return of the cuckoo. Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

July. A joyous song that's often sung in the pub. Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

August. A haunting love song comparing the singer's love, Gwen, to the flowers of summer - as birds of prey circle above. Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

September. A threshing song, written by a farm hand, describing the excitement of the day the steam thresher came to the big farm. The Welsh word for September is 'Medi' which translates as 'reaping'. Caneuon y Flwyddyn is an album of Welsh folk songs by Gwilym Bowen Rhys first compiled for the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns. Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

Our final episode of 2023 explores the sleepy but still vibrant natural world of December - from newts and frogs hibernating in the garden pond to colourful toadstools in the woods. Alice visits the Cairngorms in Scotland to retrace the steps of nature writer Nan Shepherd, while we mark the winter solstice and watch the Geminids meteor shower. To close, we hear one last Welsh folksong from Gwilym Bowen Rhys, the very old Christmas carol 'Ar fore dydd nadolig'. 'As the Season Turns' is a...

In November, we get up before dawn to watch the stars and stay out past sunset to light bonfires for Samhain. In between, we head to Dorset for some birdwatching, to Sussex for people watching and out into the lanes to pick hawthorn berries and sloes. At the end of the day, we sit by the fire and hear a comforting song about home, 'Cartref', sung by Gwilym Bowen Rhys. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern in collaboration with the nature writer and author of the Seasonal...

In October's episode we visit a 'ghost' island, explore the history of trick or treating, and hunt for mushrooms and dryads in the woods. Hedgehogs and frogs are preparing for their winter sleeps, and Gwilym sings 'Y wasgod goch', the red waistcoat - the spookiest song he knows. '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...

For September we hear the tale of Ganesh and the moon. We visit the Farne Isles, perform rituals to mark the equinox and head to Cornwall for one last day at the beach. Gwilym sings a threshing song and we gather herb robert from the hedgerows. '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...

In August's episode we wander country lanes at night - coming across glow worms, observing the Milky Way, and hearing the haunting love song 'Gwen Lliw'r Lili', or 'Gwen the Colour of the Lily'. We visit the rivers of the Peak District, explore the uses of meadowsweet and climb the cliffs of St Kilda. '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...

For July we go stargazing during the dog days, hear the Cornish myth of Lyonesse and swim along mackerel migration routes. Zoe is picking wild roses, Alice visits an exciting rewilding site and Gwilym sings 'Moliannwn', a joyous song that's often sung in the pub. '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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...