Day in a haystack

Since ancient times, outbuildings for storing dried plant stems and leaves have been a meeting place in the village They slept in haystacks prepared for feeding animals at night The harvest was an important period in the life of peasants, filled with fun and joy from collective work After haymaking was over, the grass was dried and collected in stacks, and then festivities were held This is how one of the stages of the harvest ended in Rus' In honor of the traditions of our ancestors, a holiday was established - Felling in a Haystack Day, which is celebrated on August 24 Collecting grass into bales ended with nightly bathing, sitting around the fire with chants and telling stories under the starry sky The initiators of the celebration of Rolling in a Haystack Day suggest a creative approach to its celebration Everyone can go outside the city to spend the night on the fresh-smelling grass, admire the stars and listen to the chirping of grasshoppers In honor of the holiday, residents of rural areas allow themselves to take a break from exhausting work, lie down in the hay, indulge in daydreaming and contemplate the clouds floating across the sky The Holy Day in Rus' traditionally fell at the end of summer They approached haymaking responsibly - they sharpened cutting tools, put on clean and festive clothes as a sign of respect for Mother Earth, which gave a bountiful harvest The mowers walked in rows of 5-6 people, leaving behind a clean and even meadow Women cut grass for the simpletons with the help of spears and the handles of wooden rakes In every village there was a master who formed haystacks with well-formed tops All his stacks will turn out smooth and beautiful, protected from rain by proper stacking Our ancestors dined in the field and spent the night there under canopies made of canvas Haymaking could last one day, a week, or even a month, during which the grass was cut and dried, and then collected in stacks Families traveled to distant meadows and fields for the harvest While the adults worked, children played nearby All the workers gathered for the lunch meal, which consisted of porridge, black bread with onions, boiled eggs and lard The housewives treated them to kvass and home-made beer, which each had a special and unique taste After the meal, the adults rested, and the youth gathered in a circle to socialize or went out to pick berries During lunchtime gatherings in the hayfield, young men and women often found a mate, and sometimes spent the night in the haylofts At the end of the working day they went fishing, ran into the river and swam, danced in circles and sang songs Haymaking allowed the peasants to show their dexterity, hard work, brave prowess and other best qualities Relaxing on a pile of grass helped me relax after a day's work and put my thoughts and feelings in order To repeat the experience of our ancestors and reunite with nature calls for the Day of Rolling in a Haystack