The food that you harvested in the fall had to last all winter. Towards the end of winter and the beginning of spring (so from about February to April) you would suddenly have a problem. You would run out of the food that you had saved in the fall; but none of the food that you planted would be ready to eat, yet. Farmers in England call this time of year the “hungry gap.” The hungry gap happens all over Western Europe because of the climate. People had to fast from February to April so that their food would last until spring. Fasting during Lent wasn’t just about religion, it was also a way to survive.
