Harvest Fairs

 

We at Brother Rabbit are going the the San Mateo Harvest Arts & Crafts Fair  in November, selling such small items as pincushions and handkerchieves, watch fobs, ribbon garters and hair jewellery, such as would have been purveyed at a traditional Hiring Fair in old days, when it was expected that one would bring a small oddment home for the children or one's sweetheart.

Hiring fairs were held twice a year,  as the term of contracts ran six months; in the spring and in the autumn. Any sort of labour could be hired for: house servants, farm labourers, ostlers, drivers, even ladies' maids, if one was in need of such.

As today with Harvest festivals - in lieu of Samhain (Hallowe'en) - in addition to games and sweeties for the children, there was often a raucous party atmosphere at these gatherings, with free flowing drink, flirting and dancing, wrestling and contests of strength. Sometimes the outcomes were happy and sometimes a mixed blessing, as  in the songs below:

I went down to the hiring fair for to sell my labour,

And I noticed a maid in the very next row and I hoped

She'd be my neighbour.

Imagine then my delight when the farmer picked us both.

I spoke not a word in the cart to the farm, but my

Heart beat in my throat.

- The Hiring Fair, Trad.

As I went out by Huntley town one evening for to fee
With Bogie O' Cairnie and with him I did agree
To mind his two best horses or cart or harrow or plow
Or anything about farmwork that I very well should know

Old Bogie had a daughter, her name was Isabelle
She's the lily of the valley and the primrose of the dell
And when she went out walking she took me for her guide
Down by the burn of Cairnie for to watch the small fish glide

- Bogie's Bonny Belle, Trad.

We shall merely be  sitting a pretty booth with our gentle wares, and not engaging in any wresting or caber-tossing; 'twould spoil my frock....