In the life of a Russian peasant before the invention of agricultural machinery, there was a wonderful tradition called "haymaking". This event was considered a real holiday in the life of every villager, young and old. About the order of work, entertainment and folk signs associated with haymaking, later in the article.
Haymaking is the process of cutting grass from the field and its subsequent harvesting. Now, most likely, there are no people left alive who would remember this process in its original form. In the old days, for peasants, haymaking was not just a routine harvesting of grass for livestock feed. The workers meant something more by this occupation, because it was not for nothing that from year to year this event was accompanied by rituals.
The best time to harvest hay is traditionally considered the middle of summer, although this may vary depending on the climatic conditions of the area. The Slavs believed that it was best to start harvesting hay after Peter's Day and before Proclus, that is, July 25.
Folk festivals
The word "haymaking" for a peasant is strongly associated with a holiday. Most of this eventwaiting for the young part of the population of the village. They mowed hay with the whole village, becoming families for rest under the canopy of trees. Hot and dry weather brought special joy, because on a warm summer night one could swim in a river or lake after tiring work during the heat of the day, inhale the smells of meadows and freshly cut grass with pleasure. Young girls for haymaking put on the best of their outfits, took up the rake together and, accompanying the hard work with a loud song, showed off in front of the young people.
Procedure of work
Haymaking is a very long and laborious task, so the process began with the first rays of the sun. Men mowed the grass, and women and girls beat the resulting layers with a rake, thereby helping the future hay to dry faster. And so until the late evening in the conditions of the scorching sun. After that, the mowed and whipped hay was laid in numerous ridges, which in turn were collected in shocks. In the morning, after the dew had disappeared, the mounds were destroyed, and the hay was scattered around. After drying the grass for the second time, the peasants again collected it in shocks and haystacks.
If the weather was rainy, the trouble was noticeably increased. If a cloud appeared on the horizon, the cut grass was immediately folded into shocks. When the rain stopped, they broke it up and dried the hay again.
Peasant lunch and leisure
Haymaking is not so much exhausting as a tradition. After all, even during such responsible and hard work, there was time for rest and fun, although not often.
Forlunch break united several families. Traditional peasant food was present from the diet: wheat porridge, pickles, lard, etc. In the afternoon, the elders rested, and the youth went in search of berries or mushrooms.
Not without entertainment. Young peasants had fun right at work, rolling the shock to the right place with a song. On Sunday, when work was not accepted, the guys went fishing, played with burners, rafted on the water, and the girls played and sang. Not a single hayfield could do without a friendly song. Now you can only read about this event or see the haymaking in the photo.
