Pie in the Sky

Today I was preparing a turkey pie for our supper and my stream of thought took me to thinking about pie crusts and their purpose. Preserving food was a very difficult task before refrigeration, freezers and canning. These are all very recent methods of keeping our foods fresher, longer. Food had to be dealt with quickly and eaten within a very short time. 

Pie crusts became a way of keeping the food within them a few days longer. They were made with lard and usually in a heavy, deep dish. The crust would be thick and heavy as to envelope the food and protect it. It was most often a meat dish. Usually hunted game or pork. It was baked in a wood fired oven and then set to cool. 

Pie cupboards were created to keep the vermin out of the food. They were made mostly of wood with holes (vents) drilled into the sides to allow air to flow through. The vents were tacked with bits of metal grating so no creatures could get in. 

These pie safes, as they were called, are very collectable now and often found as decorative furniture in some homes. 

My mother tells of a story when she was young. The pie safe was full of goodies as Christmas was near. My grandmother had a lock on it. She was out and so my grandfather conspired with the children to enter the cupboard from below and remove some of the tasty morsels. He was positively delighted to be conducting this prank with the children and all anticipated how my grandmother would react once she discovered the theft !

I don't think you have to imagine too hard how my grandmother reacted. At first she just couldn't figure it out but once she did she was angry. Problem was, she couldn't get mad at the children because their father had set them to it. 

Needless to say they didn't try it a second time. Its always interesting to me how food got to be presented the way it is. There is always a story, usually practical and makes perfect sense. 

By the way. Our turkey pie tonight was delicious. 

Folk Lore and Tales of Christmas Past

CELEBRATION OF ST. MARTINSTAG IN ERMLAND, PRUSSIA

My mother, Margarete was born in East Prussia in 1923. Her homeland is located in the north eastern portion of what is now Poland. Historically in recent centuries this is a predominantly catholic part of the world. The traditions and observances are a rich mix of blending Christian systems with ancient pagan customs and ritual. During my mother’s childhood she knew of no one who wasn’t catholic and grew up being told and believing that anyone not of the catholic faith would look like a monster. She was very surprised and happy when she ventured forth in the world that this was not true.

My mother grew up in a very different time, ripe with old, observed customs and traditions that shaped their lives. I am fascinated by the stories she tells me of life back then. It is really quite remarkable how recently this way of life was lived and yet it seems like a life from a century and time much older than my mother.

A few weeks ago I asked her to tell me about some significant memory she might still have about Christmas. Well, well, well, little did I know what a fascinating tale she was about to enter me into.

St. Martinstag, November 11. As a child she remembers living in a kind of excited anticipation and fear of this day. A man on a white horse carrying a switch brought children apples, nuts and sweets. So why the fear? I will tell you all later as the history of this day unfolds.

My Tante Trudi, mother’s sister in Germany has privileged me with quite detailed memories which she and my uncle have written down for me and sent me by email. They gave me an incredible insight to some of the customs and traditions that were observed during the Christmas time. With the help of friends and internet to assist with some of the more difficult translations I have been able to piece together some insights and understanding to the unbelievably rich and colourful practices that were part of life back in the days. Life may not have been easy but it was deep with traditions and rituals that guided how the year was lived.

St. Martin was a saint who existed from c.317 – 397. A roman soldier who legend has it became significant for his kindness to a beggar. Story told that he took his red cloak and cut it in half to share with the beggar who was freezing in a snowstorm. Feeling unworthy of becoming a bishop Martin hid in a stable full of geese that made such a cackle that the people of Tours found him and consecrated him as a bishop. This is why the eating of goose became tradition in Germany and other European countries at Christmas time. My aunt wrote that the slaughtering of the geese on St.Martinstag was a significant event in each village and household on this day. Every part of the goose was made into something delectable. A favourite was “Blutflinsen” (pickled web feet) of the goose. Some of the geese were hung in the frost to cure in time for Christmas dinners. Geese were also used to pay taxes and wages and leases and more. What?? Please explain.

St. Martinstag marked the end and beginning of the “natural” year. It indicated the end of harvest, the completion of the farming cycle. It clearly became the “natural” day on which to pay taxes, sign and renew leases, begin and end employment contracts. Not many people actually had money so much was paid in what was called “Naturalien”, goods that were naturally produced. It was also the one day a year you could leave your employment and you would be given a goose as a bonus. New maids, helpers, farm workers were hired on this day as well. Young women were always accompanied by their fathers or head of household to the new employ and were given coffee and bread and the father even a Schnapps! Once business was taken care of the slaughtering of the geese began and was the “high point” of this festive day! Delving into some of the mysteries behind these customs reveals connections to pagan rituals of animal sacrifices from long, long ago. There were also sacrifices to the wine.  This was the day on which the Martinsminne was drunk. The first wine drunk from the vintage year. It was believed that this wine taken at Martinmas would bring beauty and strength to all who took it. Needless to say the young men and women imbibed! The traditional toast was “ Raise the glass at Martinmas, Drink wine all through the year. “It was a time to drink, eat and celebrate before the strict observance of the 40 days of Lent and fasting before Christmas.

November 11, Martinmas made it officially winter and lamps and candles could now be lit so the spinning and weaving and knitting could begin. The women and girls would work feverishly until Christmas to complete pullovers, socks, gloves and scarves in time for gift giving. All gifts had to be practical and needed. The men set about making spoons and bowls and other useful items. Spinning and weaving traditionally carried on until February 2 and then stopped.  Candlemas, the end of winter and a new season of cultivation and harvest would begin.

So now we are getting to the story of my mother being frightened on St. Martinstag. When it snows on St.Martinstag (which it usually did), the saint would ride in on a white horse. The Schimmel reiter would appear. The ghost horse rider. In my mother’s region he was more ominous than other parts of Europe. He was called the Peltzmartin, the Skin Martin. He would have a blackened face and wore a cow bell on him and he would run around wildly along with the symbolic bear and stork and they would nip at the heels of the children and snap the beak at the children’s faces and rap their feet with the birch tree sticks. The symbolic chimney sweep would have his hands in the kachel ofen and with his smeared hands blacken the faces of the hausfrauen, wives and women. Use your imagination, how frightening this would be. They would finish by leaving the children apples, nuts and Pfefferkuchen, a traditional sweet.

This annual visit and custom is more reminiscent of ancient pagan rituals than a visit from a Christian bishop. The folk ritual of using boughs and branches from sacred trees to hit the children with were not forms of punishment but a way of driving away evil influences.  The birch endowed the qualities of purity, light and new beginnings. Farmers traditionally flogged, slapped and beat everything with young birch branches in the spring that was to flourish. So in a cultural sense children were being blessed with these qualities. These “loving” floggings were a symbolic form of making a physical connection with the life-giving virtues of the tree. In this way the treats the children were given in the form of apples and nuts were a way “ingesting” and “internalizing” the nature spirit and virtues of the sacred tree.

So today, in modern times St. Martinstag is observed as a children’s affair throughout Germany, Austria and a few other countries. The children wear costumes and make lanterns to light the way. This evening procession is often led by the red cloaked rider on a white horse. These processions usually culminate with a Martinsfeuer, a huge bonfire at the end of the parade. Everyone is merry with food, singing and dancing. Christmas is coming soon and not far off.

Little thought is given to what we do and how we do it. It seems like it has always just been done that way but everything had a “first time.” Those first times are steeped in culture and ancient knowledge of why a thing must be done. For myself the unearthing and discoveries of these exquisite morsels of experiences connect me to myself, my family and my ancestors. I am those people, those traditions, those experiences. They are passed on to each and every one of us in vitro and flow through us and our spirit each and every day. What is so astonishing is when we find the stories that reveal us to our past.

“Thank you Mom for sharing your fears.”

Update and Map of the Farm

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WOW ! its been awhile since I looked at the blog or had enough time to write anything. We are over the seasonal hump. Still lots and lots to do but the worst of it has been done. The last few weeks have been some of the most demanding ever !

Decided to open the farm to the public for a first annual cycling event on August 6. Along with all the daily jobs of running and operating the farm we needed to tackle a major clean up of the farm. We moved, discarded, bush whacked, weed whacked, mowed, trimmed, weeded, poured cement and more during the last few weeks. I was often out at 6 a.m. and still on my hands and knees at dark trying to get certain tasks accomplished. There were things we did that we haven't done since we came here in 1996. Nothing like an event to get you motivated to do stuff you can't otherwise justify doing.

The cycle event turnout for our route was very disappointing. I was SO ready and proud to show off the farm and only 9 cyclists showed up. They were all great and I SO thank them for coming. There were three routes to choose from and we were on the longest route.

The positive outcome is that we did get a lot accomplished and that makes me happy :-D

We have started operating a farm stand at the front road to the farm. It is going very well. My mom, who just turned 88 years old, is tending the stand most days. She really, really enjoys running the stand and talking to people who stop by. She always has her knitting with her and has even sold some of her wonderful socks and shawls.

Whats ready to harvest at this time ? Picked the first beans today, tomatoes are beginning to ripen, second wave of strawberries are ripe for the picking. What I am really excited about is the corn. We planted out about 2000 plants. Its the most we ever done and they are about 10 days away from being ready. Certified Organic corn, YUM, YUM !

To give you some more detail of the little map I drew. The rows at the very top of the page are about 80+ metres in length. The rows below it running north and south are about 70 metres in length. The tomato hoop house is 30 metres and houses about 300 tomato plants, the timber frame hot house is about the same size and is housing tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers. The hot house with basil is about 15 metres in length and there are at least 300+ basil plants in it. There are about 50 dahlias planted alongside the basil hot house. The strawberry field contains about 1000+ strawberry plants. They are ever bearing and are just starting to fruit again. The berries are huge and sweet ! We are in the process of taking off the runners and starting new plants for next year and extend the amount of berries.

The chicks we hatched earlier this year are well on their way and looking almost like full grown laying hens. Bryne extended the yards for the birds and they will start laying late this fall. We now have a concrete pad for our produce washing station and it certainly keeps things a lot cleaner underfoot. Soon we will build the roof over it.

That is about all I can say for this time. Hope all your gardens are growing well and that you are enjoying the outdoors in whichever way you can. The weather has been glorious and Bryne just informed me that the weather network is showing rain ALL next week. If it so then I want to enjoy the sunshine and warmth for the next few days. 

Good night and sweet dreams to you all. ;-)

Getting Ready for the upcoming season

The day began early today. Justine had to get back to Tofino and back to work. Bryne and I had to finish getting the WWOOF house ready for the first arrivals tomorrow afternoon. We are expecting two german guys and a canadian woman all staying till the end of the month. Katerina who was here for quite a few months last year will be coming back again for a short stay and nostalgic reasons. Went shopping in Courtenay to get all the staples that are needed to keep the crew fed, clean and happy ! Looking forward to getting back into the routine and swing of things here on the farm. Oma came and had supper with us and wanted to know what she could bake for the new arrivals. We all know how lucky they are to experience Oma's baking and cooking. Although Oma is getting older and slower shes' still got it !! Have a great day, night, good sleep (whatever your up to in your time zone).Picture is of ( L to R) me, Justine, Oma, my niece Alannah and my sister Gesa @ Christmas.

Cheers and love,

Barbara