Lammas Tide – August 1, is the beginning of the harvest cycle and rests on the early gain harvest as well as those fruits and vegetables that are ready to be picked. Canning of fruits and vegetables goes into full swing, jams and jellies made and cabinets are stocked with herbs before the onset of autumn.
Lammas (Anglo-Saxon), a contraction of the Saxon’s Loaf Mass, Lughnasad (Celtic), Lughnassadh (Irish). Held on August 1, midway between Beltain (May 1) and Samhain (Oct 31) in honour of Lugh/John Barleycorn, it was a pagan harvest festival. Celtic goddesses associated with the festival are Cerridwen, Mistress of the Corn, also known as the Corn Maiden or Corn Mother. Observing Lammas ensured an abundance of corn (wheat), milk, fruit, vegetables and fish; it was adopted by Christianity as Lammas-tide, when bread was made from the first corn and was offered at mass.
Many will be familiar with the Harvest Festivals celebrated in schools and churches. This is quite a modern innovation first began in 1843 at Morwenstow in Cornwall, England, where the Rev. R. S. Hawker revived the ancient thanksgiving and service of Lammas. Prior to this and particularly before farms were mechanised in the 18th. Century, the harvest customs were derived largely from ancient Pagan rites.
As long as hand reaping lasted so the ceremonies of the "Last Sheaf" endured. In ancient times it in Britain it varied from county to county; some preferred to throw their sickles at it until there was nothing left, others thought it held an evil spirit and trampled it into the ground. Many treated it with honour for they believed the corn spirit had retreated into it as a refuge when the rest of the crop was cut. On some farms the reapers took turns to throw their sickles at the last stand of corn, thus sharing the responsibility. In this the corn spirit was thought to sleep throughout the winter. In the spring it was taken to the fields when seed was being sown, so that the spirit could transfer to the sown seed and awaken it. This ritual re-enactment of the slaying and restoration of Lugh/John Barleycorn was associated with beer and cider drinking to follow.
The last sheaf was then plaited (braided) into a woman’s form, which represented the Harvest Spirit. These were known by various names, the Corn-Dolly, Nell Doll, and in Whalton in Northumberland, a member of the same family made the Kern-Babby each year, for the church Harvest Festival. The Corn Dolly was set in a place of honour at the harvest supper, it was preserved over winter and ploughed-in, in the following Spring; in other traditions, the corn dolly was fed and watered throughout the winter and then burned in the fire at Beltane. The vacant land was known as Lammas Lands, used for growing early crops or hay, were then thrown open for common grazing until the next Spring.
This was also the time for Lammas Fairs, where the custom for unmarried persons of both sexes, was to choose a companion according to their liking, with whom they were to live for a year and a day. After this period, if the couple were in agreement, a ritual "Handfasting" or hand in fist, ceremony was performed to seal the marriage.
Symbolism played a great part in Lammas. Agriculturally, corn flower and poppies; typically grow in fields of corn. Yellow, green and gold representing the colour of ripening grain. Semi-precious gems, citrine, peridot and topaz.
Of course many nations throughout the world observe this time of year, the harvest festivals, in various ways, each honouring their own gods and goddesses, through rituals of their own religions or beliefs.
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