Living seasonally: connecting with community & expanding your social circles

When it comes to living seasonally, it’s often food we think of first.

But whilst eating what’s in season is incredibly valuable for our wellbeing, there’s another side to connecting with the seasons.

Humans are inherently seasonal beings, and we’ve lived with an intimate connection to the seasons since the beginning of time. This is reflected not only in our meals and daily rituals, but in our relationships too. Back in the days of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, each season would have influenced the people and communities we connected with the most. Winter, for example, brought cold and scarcity, meaning we’d naturally turn inward, spend more time in our homes, and more time with close family. As Dallas Hartwig says in his book The Four Season Solution, Winter was a time to ‘pull your close ones closer’. With no screens or technology for distraction, we had the opportunity to deepen our emotional connections, evolve our discussions, and strengthen family relationships.

In the Spring and Summer months, a very different type of energy is in the air, and because of this, we’re naturally inclined to live differently. Can you sense it? Are you already doing it?

Connecting with community & expanding social circles in Spring & Summer

As the days lengthen and warm up, and with an abundance of wild foods growing around us, our ancestors would have emerged from their Winter huddle to a world that invited more time spent foraging and hunting. The longer, warmer days allowed us to explore further afield, where we would have naturally encountered other tribes and made new connections.

This need for connection, exploration and new-ness is buried deep in our human nature, no more so than in the Spring and Summer months. We already know that research shows human connection and strong social relationships are beneficial for our wellbeing — but are we actually living in a way that honours these needs? Spring and Summer are the seasons to meet new people, take part in new activities, and expand your tribe — not on social media, not via a screen, but in real life. Here are three ways to do it.

1. Face to face over online messaging

Do you have certain friends you tend to connect with more via online messages than in real life? Now is the time to meet face to face and get to know the real human you’re talking to. Research indicates that in-person friendships are generally better for wellbeing than social media connections, because they foster deeper emotional support, trust, and intimacy that are difficult to replicate online. Real-life interactions reduce cortisol and blood pressure, whereas excessive social media use often leads to increased loneliness. Social media also allows for curated, ‘filtered’ versions of ourselves, while in-person we engage in deeper self-disclosure, leading to stronger emotional bonds.

2. Join weekly gatherings & seasonal celebrations

From the Saturday farm shop to the eight festivals of the year, at My Little Farm we offer many ways to join us — whether you’re a member or simply visiting for the day. On Saturday 20th June, you’re invited to join us to celebrate Litha on the farm, honouring the Summer Solstice. Over the weekend, we gather to celebrate with a bonfire, St John’s Wort oil making, and flower crown weaving. In the evening, we share a communal outdoor banquet, closing the night with a gratitude circle around the fire. It is a time to honour the abundance of summer and embrace the turning of the seasons. Book tickets here.

We also have our weekly farm shop open 11am–2pm every Saturday, where you can pick up the week’s vegetables, eggs and bread, join a hands-on workshop on the land, or stay for a cup of something. And our new offering: a Friday & Saturday wood-fired sauna, set quietly on the land and run with Shanti Sauna. One-hour slots, members and non-members welcome. Read more and book here.

3. Try something you’ve never done before

Spring is the season of rebirth, and it invites us to try new things and maybe even step out of our comfort zone. When we make changes, shake up our habits and try something we’ve never done before, it helps create new neural pathways in the brain — which can improve cognitive flexibility, enhance creativity, and even boost overall mental resilience. Engaging in new experiences — whether it’s learning a new language, taking up an instrument, or exploring a different hobby — stimulates the brain’s reward system, making us feel more energised and motivated. Stepping outside our comfort zone also encourages personal growth by challenging self-limiting beliefs, fostering adaptability, and increasing confidence. In essence, Spring and Summer aren’t just seasons for the natural world to flourish; they’re the perfect time for our minds to refresh, expand, and thrive too.

We hope these words help inspire your actions this month. Perhaps you’ll reconnect with old faces or meet brand new ones; try a brand new activity, or reach out to your local community through the longer, sunnier days.

Come and find your people this summer

Reconnection isn’t something you read about — it’s something you do. The longer days won’t last forever, and the truest way to feel what living seasonally means is to stand on the land with the people already living it: hands in the soil, food grown a few steps from the table, and faces that quickly become your own.

That’s exactly what we’re building at My Little Farm — a community of people who’ve chosen real food, real connection, and a life rooted in the seasons. There’s a place for you in it.