Terhune Orchards in Lawrence will host its annual Wassailing Party on Sunday, Jan. 29, from 1 to 4 p.m.
The public is invited to join the Mount family in its tradition of protecting their orchards and ensuring a successful crop for next season. Activities include dancing and singing by the Molly Dancers and re-enactments of old English traditional rituals.
Everyone joins in with chanting and music-making, in toasts of hot cider and placing gifts of cider-soaked bread in the tree branches while chanting the lively words of praise.
Participants warm themselves next to a bonfire (marshmallows included) or in the store. Farm wagon rides will be taken, weather permitting. Live music, provided by the Spiced Punch Consort playing traditional music using violins and flutes of many kinds, will be performed all afternoon in the farm market.
The festivities are free and open to the public, young and old.
What is wassailing? It is an ancient tradition from the cider-making regions of southern and western England. It is usually held on the Twelfth Night of Christmas. People would gather in the apple orchard and perform rituals to drive away the evil spirits and ensure a successful apple crop next year. Guns were fired through the branches to scare off any evil spirits lurking therein and the tree’s health was toasted with warm cider, passed in a bucket.
This custom was especially important during a time when part of a laborer’s wages was paid in apple cider. Landlords needed a good apple crop to attract good workers. Wassailing was meant to keep the tree safe from evil spirits until the next year’s apples appeared. Those who celebrate on old Twelfth Night will drink the cider produced during the year just passed and toast to what the new year will bring.
Terhune Orchards is located at 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence, (609) 924-2310.
