April 2025

Inspirations:

April is upon us already! March, with it's equinox, Mercury and Venus going retrograde and 2 eclipses, has really been a full on month! The effect on people's energies has been very strong at all levels (Physical, mental, energetical and spiritual). And after the new moon and eclipse at the beginning of the month, with Mercury coming off retrograde, a sense of transition from Winter and darkness to Summer and light is finally to be felt. It is now really nice to feel the warmth on those sunny days being back again, bringing a sense of clarity and energy to our sense!

A very simple and humble way of helping us to ground ourselves is finding Joy in what we do. Jo y is the state of being that allows one to experience feelings of intense, long-lasting happiness and contentment of life. It is closely related to, and often evoked by, well-being, success, or good fortune. It is also so much about being in the now, in harmony with oneself and the whole. I recently joined a group running Biodanza, once a week, it means the Dance of Life, a dance-based integrative system and a way to access joy letting our bodies express, connecting with movement and music, learning to open our hearts and trust but also understanding our boundaries. I find it really help me ground, but also open my heart, learn to trust and have fun with movement!

Other ways to bring more Joy into your life would be:

In the morning, play your favourite music instead of the radio. Let energy and joy set the tone, not fear. Create a morning routine for well being: reflection, meditation and any type of exercise all help with creating a sense of Joy.
When watching TV at night (if you have one!), check the schedule first. Watch what truly interests you, and skip the news.
Limit time on heavy, draining social media feeds. If you notice they’re dragging you down, ask yourself: Why am I even looking at this? The more your scroll and look at joyful posts, the more you are going to receive positive and joyful post. Although I find sometimes too much can be overwhelming!

What happens when you bring more positivity in your life?

You create space — for joy, for calm, for inspiration.

Gratitude is the key...

Turn off the tv.

Step outside. Find the nearest patch of nature. Go for a walk. Breathe. Look around. Notice the peace, the simplicity.

Nature doesn’t scream for your attention — it gently reminds you that there’s still so much beauty in the world.

Gratitude for what is — that’s the true foundation of a positive and joyful life.

And don’t worry, you won’t miss anything important.

The essential news will find its way to you. You don’t need to bury your head in the sand — just don’t let the noise bury your light.

There’s too much good out there to ignore. And the more we focus on it, the less room there is for negativity.

Living with positivity isn't luck. It's a choice. Your choice to find JOY.

A way to find light and joy is also through nutrition, particularly at this time of year, it is an ideal time to incorporate green juicing, sprouting seeds, chickpeas, lentils, and mung beans, for instance, and drinking nettle-top tea, to help elevate our vibrations and boost our energy with minerals like magnesium.

I have been trying to add seasonal herbs and vegetables in my ferments recently, and a good one is wild garlic. It's great to add to sauerkraut, kimchi or lacto-fermented vegetables like cauliflowers. You can also do that with nettle tops; these are high in iron and magnesium!

It is still time to pick wild garlic buds to make Oxymel and you can also still use wild garlic in your next batch of kraut or kimchi or in Becky's flatbreads recipe!
Cooking with freshly picked nettles is also amazing as they are packed with minerals, particularly magnesium and are great for cleansing the blood! You can make soup or tea with them, but I thought I would repost this vegan cheese cake recipe from Spicy Moustache.

My mantras for this month:

I am worthy of happiness and joy

I am grateful for all that I have in my life

GOOD TO KNOW:

> New Markets:

The new market at Wenvoe, held on the 2nd Sunday of each month, is progressing well. We also launched our first Chepstow market this month, on the 4th Sunday. Although it had a slow start, it's common for new markets as people need time to become familiar with our products. Additionally, we will pause the Cowbridge market and initiate the Usk market starting in April on the 3rd Saturday of the month.

> Festival Season is coming up:

Cowbridge Food and Drinks Festival (May)

Coed Ffest (June)

Aberdare Food Festival (Sept)

Newport Food Festival (Oct)

> South Wales Fermentation Revolution:

The WhatsApp group for fermentation enthusiasts is growing with each market and event I attend, welcoming new fermenters. If you are keen on learning and sharing your fermentation experiences, kindly provide your phone number to join us! (07515493402) Please note that the group is open to those residing in the South to West Wales region.

> Initiatives for Promoting Wellness and bringing communities together: Our mission is to share our expertise with a broader audience and make the wonderful world of fermentation accessible to all! If you know of anyone keen on exploring fermentation, whether they're individuals, communities, or organisations, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We offer engaging presentations, hands-on demonstrations, enriching workshops, and delightful tasting experiences. Let's spread the joy of fermentation together! Click here to get a glimpse! We have new initiatives in the pipeline which we will be sharing next month!

> Bridge Studio News: We are currently focusing on expanding our offerings to more independent shops further afield. We are proud to have our team building up with Lavinia on the Kraut making and Sophie, making 1st and 2nd fermentation Water Kefir, as well as covering for a couple of monthly markets.

> Give us a review! Weather you love our products or have been enjoying one of our workshops, we would be so grateful if you could write a review here so we can spread the word about all the benefits of consuming Water Kefir and learning about fermented food and drinks!

> Accessories: Absorb Glasses and T-Shirts: Our vibrant T-shirts and drinking glasses are available for online orders or can be bought at markets.

> Drinking Water Kefir for better health: If you want to drink our Water Kefir regularly to support your health, there are 2 money-saving options available:

Join our subscription scheme by filling in this document and emailing it back to us at (absorbhealth@outlook.com) *.
Learn how to make it yourself! We can sell you some grains, give you a receipt and teach you all you need to know!

*We deliver all around Cardiff and surrounding area - and further afield (see below).

> Grouped Deliveries outside of Cardiff: We have 2 separate delivery runs each month that go east of Cardiff one week and west of Cardiff on the other. Please get in touch if you live in the areas detailed below and want a Water Kefir delivery:

. Gower, Mumbles, Swansea, Swansea Valleys to Pontardawe and Ystradgynlais: Next runs are Thurs 10.04 & 15.05

. Newport, Monmouthshire and Bristol: Thurs 24.04 & 29.05

WORKSHOPS and TALKS on Fermentation and Digestive Health:

Our workshop at Coed Hills was really lovely. We have one more in April:

. Global Gardens/ Grow your Own Series in Cardiff (by donation!) Sat 26.04.25

. St Brides Major Sat 14.06.25, more info to be issued very soon

. We will also be starting very soon a regular gathering around ALL that is to do with fermentation, including a tasting station, talks, Q&A...location and dates will be announced very soon! Do keep an eye on our regularly updated calendar!

Please check out our linktree for all the information!

Please check my calendar for the latest updates on which markets I'll be attending in the next couple of months and links to workshops, festivals and gatherings (some will be updated later)!

WATER KEFIR

Flavour of the Month:

After a few failed trials to include some coriander in our spring flavour, we had to get back to our delightful flavour combination of: Lemongrass, Lime, Nettle and Spirulina!

Do your bit for the environment and remember to return your empty bottles and sauerkraut jars - reusing is much better than recycling!

Happy Spring season! Thank you for following Absorb!