August first marks one of the original harvest festivals. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Whether it’s Lughnasadh, Lammas, or Loaf Mass Day, August first is a harvest festival day in many cultures.
Starting with the ancient Gaelic cultures of Scottland, Ireland, and Wales, Lugnasadh was celebrated about halfway between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox. It was in honor of the God Lugh, and a celebration of the harvest to come. As Christianity spread through Europe, it is thought that Lugnasadh shifted into Lammas or Loaf Mass Day, which is still celebrated in some European cultures.
The ancient Lugnasadh and modern Loaf Mass Day are observed in very similar fashions, with the baking of bread and brewing of beer to honor the grains. Berries are also a part of the revelry and could be related to a nickname for the festivals, The Feast of First Fruits. In the Church of England, the Lammas loaf may be used as the eucharist in communion and should be baked by church members using local produce.
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Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.