Friday, September 25, 2015

Harvest Festivals

As mentioned in the last post, this time of year is when we observe the Erntfescht or Erntdankfescht, which is the original Deitsch thanksgiving celebration. It is important to note, though, that traditional cultures often would have smaller harvest festivals or observances throughout the growing seaason, and the Deitsch culture is no different. In the larger culture, folks are familiar with strawberry festivals, blueberry festivals, etc., but there are many other opportunities to build the relationship with the land around us and to celebrate on a more intimate scale the plants and crops we grow ourselves.

This is a starter list of suggested times for various harvests throughout the growing season. Typically, an individual or a community would celebrate their larger or specialty harvests. This list originates in the context of Pennsylvania. The various Urglaawe communities are encouraged to adjust the calendar to their growing season and to add in their regional crops.

Celebrations can be as simple as incorporating the seasonal food into the meals of the time. Other celebrations can include bringing a community together to process the harvest, such as the traditional Deitsch Schnitzing party, which brings families and friends together to cut apples as part of processing the fruit for apple cider. As is the case with all Urglaawe observances, a respect for the land, the land spirits, and the spirits of the plants that sustain us is a fundamental part of any harvest festival.

Depiction of a Schnitzing Party
from the cover of Pennsylvania Folklife, Winter 1966

This list currently consists mostly of food plants. Herbs are often cut multiple times throughout a season, but more herbs and food crops will be added over time.

APRIL

Chickweed
Cuckooflower
Dandelion
Fiddleheads
Nettles

MAY

Clover
Asparagus
Chard
Morels
Parsnips (first harvest)
Dogwood (Bracts/Flowers, not fruit)

JUNE

Blueberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Mints (Midsummer)
Spinach

JULY

Apricots
Cherries
Blueberries
Peaches
Peas
Snap Beans

AUGUST

Blackberries
Corn
Cucumbers
Currants
Grains (First; Hoietfescht)
Lima Beans
Mushrooms
Sunflower

SEPTEMBER

Apples (Schnitzing parties for cider)
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Eggplant
Grains (Second; Erntfescht)
Grapes
Green Beans
Green Onions, Scallions
Lettuce
Melons
Monarda punctuate (spotted bee balm)
Nectarines
Okra
Onions
Oregano (usually second or even third harvest)
Parsley
Peaches
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Radishes
Raspberries
Spinach
Squash (summer)
Tomatoes
Watermelon
Zucchini

OCTOBER

Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumbers
Fennell
Garlic
Passionfruit
Pears
Pumpkins
Rutabaga
Turnips

NOVEMBER

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Collards
Leeks
Parsnips (second harvest)
Squash (winter)

DECEMBER

Beets
Cranberries


Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Harvest Season and Erntfescht

It has been a busy summer, which, of course, makes it a little less difficult to make regular posts to this site!



Many of us are currently in the midst of the harvest. After a slow start, things like the passionflower are growing like crazy and are beginning to produce fruit. 


There are many other herbs that are ready for a first, second, or even third harvest. This coming weekend, Urglaawer and many practitioners of Braucherei and Hexerei will observe the Erntfescht or Erntdankfescht, which is the original Deitsch day of thanksgiving for the bounty of the harvest. This observance was so deeply engrained in the Deitsch culture that many people resented the creation of the national Thankgiving holiday.

The national holiday is in danger of being eclipsed by the consumer frenzy of Black Friday, so perhaps we can take advantage of the historical roots of Erntfescht. Regardless of one's religious identity, ethnicity, or climate, we can all tap into the spirit of gratefulness for --- or at least appreciation of --- the bounty we have in our lives.

I want to encourage everyone to take part in this very important observance.

If you have folks nearby with whom to celebrate, then come together at or around the autumn equinox and have a feast. Give offerings of the land to the deity of deities of your choice, share and swap harvested food (store purchases are fine) or seeds, and take up a food drive, no matter how large or small.

If observing alone, a donation of any sort to a food pantry or an animal shelter would be appropriate.
All of us should recount the blessings we have in our lives and to share in those blessings with others.

Hail to the Harvest!

---------
Parsons, William T. Pennsylvania Germans – A Persistent Minority. Collegeville, PA: Keschte Bicher, 1976. 

Yoder, Don. "Harvest Home." Pennsylvania Folklife v. 9 no. 4, pp. 2- 11. Lancaster, PA:The Pennsylvania Folklife Society, Fall 1958.