The Fittleworth Harvest Supper (October 7th 2023) - with many thanks to Alan, our lead for this Event

18 of us crammed onto a stage amidst haybales and chairs to entertain guests at the village Harvest Supper.  We chose songs that had some connection with harvest time, Steve W acting as our song-announcer.   Our scratch band of two guitars, one concertina, a flagelolet, a recorder and a melodeon played folk tunes as the guests were entering and finding their places in a beautifully decorated village hall.  

The SDFS was given a table for itself where cottage pies were eaten, with veggie alternatives available.   After clearing away the first course we climbed back on the stage.  Dave G presented a lively short history of the SDFS and the aims of the group.  Following this, a short poem was recited about harvest which led into three punchy shorter songs before we descended to eat our desert. 

Then once more to the stage for an hour’s worth of relevant songs.  During this session Chris, our own historian who had scoured many archives, presented anecdotes concerning the village and its inhabitants, many of them well-known. This created quite a noise amongst the guests, with, ’I knew him, I didn’t know that, surely that can’t be true, that’s where I live now’.  

Amaryllis sang a humorous solo to the tune of, ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter’, "Harvest Moan" by Sid Kipper. The audience joined us in a chorus read from their chorus sheets.  They sang with gusto also joining in the choruses of "The Turmut Hoer" and "One for the Rook". 

Then a very beautiful poem, read by Anne, about the geese sensing the Winter to come and setting off to the South.  This was followed by a round with audience participation to the tune of 'Wassail All Your Apple Trees'. A poem about the local pub, "The Swan", fitted perfectly into the round.  The song the "Lammas Carol" was preceded by an interesting introduction by Steve, who also quoted a poem spoken at Lammas which explains how to know the person you will fall for. The song was accompanied by a drum to give it bit of a more-full sound. 

We finished with "The Parting Song" and a cry of GOLIER. 
ALAN