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The Shetland word 'Hairst' is derived from the word 'harvest', and refers to the season commonly known as Autumn (August to October). The first of the crops to become ready was the hay, mown in meadows in August, the swathes being turned when dry and built into coles. When thoroughly dried it was carried home in meshies pannier like open baskets made from well laid straw simmonds. In the yard the hay was built into a dess or stack. It was built on a foundation of stones, dry heather and grass and was tied securely against winds. The first of the potato crop was also ready in August. It was too early to lift the plants but by purling or poking with the fingers underneath the tubers large enough for use could be removed and the others left to grow undisturbed. The first meal of new potatoes with their strong, earthy taste was one of the highlights of summer. In August the men returned from the haaf fishing stations in time for
the crucial weeks of the year. Oats and bere were generally ready in September,
and sometimes when a storm was expected they would be cut when only partially
ripe, otherwise they might be flattened by the rain and twisted by the wind. On
those occasions the scythe was of no use and the people had to revert to the
corn hook. Even in good seasons harvesting was a laborious job shearing by
scythe or corn hook, henting or gathering the stalks into a bundle and binding
the sheaf with a band of straw prepared by knotting two handfuls of stalks
together. The final moment of victory came when the sheaves were carried home
and built in a skroo in the yard beside the dess of hay. |
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