The Ashes That Saved the Crops

The ash left over from burning the traditional French Yule Log (la bûche) was never thrown away. In rural Périgord, farmers meticulously gathered every single speck of ash from the hearth on Boxing Day. They kept it in sacks until spring, when it was scattered over the fields. The locals believed these specific Christmas ashes possessed magical fertilising powers that would shield the young wheat crops from summer hailstorms.