Creating a Calmful Labor Day

In the 1880s, New York was the first state to celebrate Labor Day, the first Monday of September. The holiday was a day off for working folks—for picnics, parades, speeches and rallies. Other states quickly followed suit and, over one hundred years later, Labor Day weekend has become a virtual smorgasbord of concerts, festivals, sporting events, furniture and car sales, barbecues and beer.

With all good intentions, we Americans tend to pack as much into our extra day off as we do any workday. Why not truly slow down this Labor Day? Organic Connections invites you to celebrate by not working so hard to have fun. Instead, linger in the day’s warmth and long sunlight hours, perhaps taking some time to slow-cook an old family recipe, or making an excursion that you don’t have time for otherwise.

Here are six fun ideas to take it slow and calm.

1. Freeze a batch of homemade ice cream. Sure, the sweetened frozen milk or cream that we love so much was originally created for the aristocracy of Europe, but there are few American summer treats as authentic as ice cream. And you don’t even have to use cream. Try a cashew-, almond- and coconut-based ice cream recipe for a change. With in-season fresh peaches, blueberries, blackberries and sweet herbs like mint, basil and lemon balm, there’s no end to fresh, personalized flavors and toppings. Time it takes: 4–24 hours. Check out our recipe for Calmful Raspberry-Coconut Ice Cream (no ice-cream maker needed!).
2. Pick fresh fruit in your neighborhood. If you don’t have fruit in your own yard, your neighbors or neighboring wild spaces might. Fruit tends to ripen all at once, so a single prolific tree or patch of berry bushes can easily overwhelm one household. Organizations like fallenfruit.org make it easy to find the juicy picks. Time it takes: 1–3 hours.
3. Get lost in a novel. A good novel is as therapeutic as it is entertaining. According to neuroscience, reading novels actually improves brain function and increases connectivity in certain areas of the brain, improving our ability to put ourselves in another’s shoes, visualize, and flex our imaginations. Not sure what to read? Check in with friends or expert reviewers on goodreads.com. Time it takes: 1–3 days.
4. Visit a state or national park or wilderness area. There are over a million square miles of protected lands in the US—from completely undeveloped wilderness to recreation areas and local parks—nearly 12 percent of the total land in the country. Late summer is a good time to see wildlife in many areas. Slow down your mind even further with meditative activities like fly-fishing, photography or hiking. Time it takes: 4–8 hours.
5. Make sourdough from scratch. Do you love the delicious pucker of sourdough? You don’t have to visit San Francisco to get your own sourdough “starter”—a mix containing natural yeasts used to make any sourdough creation from scratch, from bread to pancakes. It takes nothing more than water, sugar, flour and time. Check out instructions on King Arthur Flour’s website.
6. Sip Calm. Magnesium helps keep your heart rhythm steady, calms nerves and helps your muscles relax. Sipping this delicious magnesium supplement is a great way to chill anytime. Time it takes: 5 minutes.