By Co-Publishers Kaitlyn Clark & Jillian Zynomirski
The recent heat sitting heavy over Haldimand may not seem like a sign of autumn, but September has officially rolled in. Students will be heading back into school next week, pumpkin spice is on its way, Halloween decorations are hitting shelves, and The Haldimand Press is publishing its annual Farms: Harvest edition.
The word “harvest” has been evolving for centuries, having first been used before the 12 century as a noun and in the 15th century as a verb. It comes from the Middle English word “hervest” and before it, the Old English word “hærfest”, meaning autumn. During both Old and Middle English times, this term referred primarily to the period between August and November and only had an implied reference to the gathering of crops. These words evolved from Proto-Germanic terms evolving from Proto-Indo-European terms, with meanings of autumn time and plucking or cutting fruits or crops, depending on the region of use.
It’s understandable that such a term has been carried through the millenia. Agriculture is what allowed human beings to move away from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle and put down roots in one place, creating communities that would shape the world we know today. For these early settlements, the harvest of the main cereal crop – from wheat to corn to rice – was always a cause for celebration. These harvests would keep their communities fed for months to come, and for this region would mean food through the cold winter months.
Harvest customs abounded throughout the world. There were symbolic “corn mothers” made from the last sheaf cut being carried in triumph from the field and soaked in water to bring forth spring rains for the next growing season. Meanwhile, the Greeks worshiped the grain goddess Demeter, her daughter Persephone who was goddess of spring and nature, and Dionysus, the god of fruitfulness and vegetation. Today, people in Canada and the United States are most familiar with Thanksgiving as a harvest celebration.
Just as the word “harvest” and the celebrations surrounding it have evolved over the years, farming itself has been in a perpetual cycle of adaptation. From what we farm to how we farm it, farmers are constantly working to perfect their craft to help feed their communities and the world beyond.
It’s a job that requires long hours and high stress. Farmers put everything they have into their work, whether it be for livestock, fruit, vegetables, cash crops, and so on. Without them, along with all other agricultural and supply chain workers, our grocery store shelves would be barren. We at The Haldimand Press extend a huge thank you to all farmers and workers for continuing to give us access to fresh, healthy, locally grown food. We encourage all of our readers as well to thank any agricultural workers they know.
Additionally, The Haldimand Press would like to thank Xplornet Communications Ltd. for sponsoring the mailing of this section to all farm properties in Haldimand County.
