The Historical Significance Of The Harvest In Society

As much as it is easy to say the harvest is important as societies throughout time would reap the rewards for their farming and have plenty to eat, the harvest became a symbol of festivities which is still employed today. This blog aims to demonstrate the festivities of the harvest throughout time.

The Gaelic Harvest Festival

Lughnasadh is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Samhain, Imbolc and Beltane. It corresponds to other European harvest festivals such as the Welsh Gwyl Awst and the English Lammas. Lughnasadh is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and has pagan origins. The festival itself is named after the god Lugh. This festival celebrated both the God Lugh and the ripening of crops.

Importance of Grain

Nearly from the dawn of civilisation, grain has had a place of significance. Grain began to symbolise the cycle of life and death. When the Sumerian deity Tammuz was killed, his lover Ishtar wept so bitterly that nature ceased to function. Similar to the tale of Demeter and Persephone, Ishtar wept for Tammuz and pursued him to the Underworld in an effort to bring him back.

Corn Dolls

Even while harvest festivals predate Christianity, they have always been seen as a particularly spiritual occasion to express gratitude for the year's harvest. When parishes had their lavish feasts, symbolic corn dolls crafted from the last sheath of the crop were put on dinner tables. To guarantee a strong crop the next year, the doll was then preserved until the spring. Farmers in the Saxon region started this tradition because they thought the final sheath held the corn's spirit.

The final standing corn sheaves held particular significance since it was sometimes thought that a Corn Spirit lived inside of them. It was a descendant of the Roman grain goddess Ceres and acquired several titles, including "The Maiden," "The Neck," and "The Mare." Once it was scythed, it was turned into a corn doll as a representation of maize. The process of actually cutting these last sheaves came first, though. This is very different from the farm machinery hire we offer!

Christian Harvest Festival

Christians feel it is still necessary to remember God as the creator and give Him thanks for the wonderful things He gives, even though our food nowadays is more likely to come from the grocery store.

This is a yearly tradition at Harvest Thanksgiving services at many churches. Members of the congregation may bring flowers and food offerings to the ceremony to beautify the church as a token of their gratitude to God. These presents can then be given to the elderly or neighbours in need.

At P R Weldhen we offer a combine hire service for your project or farm, please check out our agricultural machinery to see what would suit you. Not only do we offer combines for hire but most plants to hire all over Cornwall. Please contact us for more information.