Why Harvest Crafts Are Here To Stay
In a world which feels like it’s changing at dizzying speeds, rooting ourselves in some long-held traditions and restoring our sense of place can be a welcome anchor. Harvest is one such tradition, and as it is deeply connected with the land and reflects regional customs and culture, it is especially grounding. Harvest Festival celebrations have been a part of the rural calendar for centuries.
Harvest is the culmination of the agricultural calendar, and in pre-industrialised times, it involved a season of intense physical work from sunrise until sunset. Wheat was cut using scythes and threshed by hand; it was weather-dependent, and the success of the wheat crop and hence the availability and price of bread the following year was affected both by the fickle vagaries of our climate and by a range of diseases or animal infestations.
As well as the wheat harvest, hay needed to be cut and stored in the dry for winter animal fodder, apples, pears and plums needed to be picked and the wonderful array of vegetables gathered in.
In days before refrigeration, all these had to be preserved, and women would be up from dawn to dusk bottling, pickling, making jams and jellies, salting pork and clamping potatoes. Wood was chopped for winter warmth and cooking, honey from bees extracted and jarred and eggs preserved in a variety of ways. This intense period of work reached its culmination in some well-earned and often raucous celebrations, with dancing, music and an abundance of good food and freely flowing drink (beer or cider, depending on the region).
This event generally took place on a day near the Harvest Moon, the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. (The Harvest Moon usually appears in September, hanging like a large orange ball, low in the sky). Communities would gather together, often in a big barn owned by the landlord lord, and the merry-making began. In the nineteenth century, it was a central part of the year.
Although the bringing in of the harvest has been celebrated since pagan times, the actual harvest festival service held in parish churches only dates back to Victorian times. Since then, Harvest Festival has been firmly established, with generations of children from local church primary schools joining the congregation to deck their ancient buildings with flowers, vegetables, sheaves of corn and a Harvest loaf.
With such a rich heritage, it is not surprising that traditional harvest crafts are not only holding their space, but that new ones are being added each year to the selection. Harvest-themed crafts to make and sell are therefore well worth an investigation. Can you adapt your craft in any way to sell around this time of year?
The classic harvest craft is the corn dolly. This name was only given to it in the twentieth century; prior to that, they were known as harvest tokens, harvest trophies, or by their regional name. Initially, they may have been made from the final handful of corn stalks as weary labourers twisted them together, sometimes into amorphous shapes and sometimes into shapes specific to the region, eg crowns in Worcestershire and hand bells in Cambridgeshire.
In time, they became more refined, with techniques used by straw plaiters (hat makers) and decorative ideas adapted from rope makers. By the twentieth century, these evolved into crafts to make and sell, and such was their popularity that there was also a burgeoning number of workshops to pass on this traditional skill to others.
Nowadays, the appetite for harvest crafts and home decorations has increased even more. Awareness of the rhythms of the countryside has been highlighted by TV series such as the immensely popular Clarkson’s Farm. Our medieval churches are still bountifully decorated with the fruits of the harvest, especially in rural areas, but in addition, harvest is being brought into suburban and city homes as increasing numbers of people look to mark the season with harvest-themed garlands and decorations. This is an opportunity to give your creativity full rein, as you produce your own rich and varied range of harvest designs.
Popular crafts to make and sell around this time of year include garlands and wreaths. These might feature apples, pumpkins, autumn leaves or a selection of nuts and berries. Fabric, felt, or yarn can all be used to create stunning garlands which can be strung over mantelpieces or between shelves; dried fruit and flowers can be combined to fashion glorious wreaths for front doors which will welcome any visitor or family member coming home after a long day.
Soft furnishings too can be adapted to a harvest vibe, using a rich palette of orange, red, bronze and gold. An extra cushion or a warm throw will add to a cosy atmosphere as the nights draw in and the days become cooler. While Harvest Homes are still celebrated in many rural villages or towns, this does not have to be the prerogative of our country kinsmen. A harvest supper can just as easily be held at home and is a great opportunity to invite neighbours and friends for a simple meal using delicious homegrown or local ingredients. With the rest of the house decorated, some stunning harvest-themed crockery is all that is needed to complete the tablescape.
Harvest encapsulates so much that is both good about our British history and heritage and also essential to our continued wellbeing; without good food, we would be in a sorry state. So, let your imagination free and celebrate this long-held and delightful festival with a new range of crafts to make and sell.