Hay making party in Gyimes
Date: 23-29 August 2010.
Place: Gyimesbükk, Áldomáspataka (Ghimeş-Făget, Aldămaş on the map).
Organizer: Sárig Attila.
Partner:Pogány-havas (Pagan Snow Cap) Regional Association.
Sponsor: Barbara Knowles Fund, Communitas Foundation.
Make friends, have fun, learn new skills and help to preserve valuable mountain hay meadows and their plants, wildlife and traditions in one of the last large scale medieval landscapes of Europe.
The aim of this working party (kaláka, in Hungarian) is to provide a unique opportunity for nature lovers and those interested in traditional culture to learn about coherency of nature and farming by doing physical work and learn about the art of hay making and related handicrafts.
The idea behind choosing the site to be mown is to save a meadow of high nature value, which was abandoned by their owners and is simply considered a problem or curse by them. Many land owners move to the more comfortable towns leaving behind high quality hay meadows of European importance. If the grass is not being cut for two or three years, it loses its value for farming and biodiversity, and many years of hard work is needed to bring the hay meadow back to its original state. Western European examples proved, that almost never return people to recreate an abandoned meadow. By cutting the grass we can give them another chance, if the owners change their minds and start farming again.
At the same time this event being something strange in the eyes of the local population will help us to turn their attention on the value of the work they provide by maintaining their beautiful fields every year. This might create local pride and more motivation for young people to stay in their community and continue their agricultural traditions. The idea comes from and the event is organized and led by a local young entrepreneur with the assistance of the regional development association Pogány-havas.
[please see attached picture of last year’s event]
Planned programme:
22 August, Sunday: arrival of distant participants, introduction, presentation on the importance of hay meadows and traditional farming, and the role of the hay-fest in it, around 21 o’clock go to bed.
23 August, Monday:mowing starts on at 5 AM and goes on until noon. After lunchwe continue mowing if there’s grass left. On this day a mowing contest will be organized.
24August,Tuesday: One of the best, oldcraftsmanin Gyimes will show and teach participants how he makes rakes and scythes and how are they prepared for work, while mown grass dries on the fields.In the afternoon the group can go in the woods and pick mushrooms, medical plants, etc.
25 August, Wednesday:the hay has to be turned, dried, gathered and put in a big pile called buglya (haystack).On this day a buglya-creating contest will take place.
26 August, Thursday:participants will visit a summer shelter (esztena, in Hungarian),and will learn how life goes on at these places, how cheese is being made and will taste the bacon produced in Gyimes called szalonna. The brave will have the possibility to milk a cow themselves.
27 August, Friday:the haystacks will be combined and we will form one or two very big piles.If there’s a need, then the hay will be loaded directly on a cart. In the afternoon participants can go on a ride with a horse or horse-cart.
28 August, Saturday:tour to the “Thousand year old border”. Organisers will tell you the stunning story of Gyimes and the border between Hungary and Romania from the X-th century until the end of WWI. In the evening participants can learn Gyimes folk dance and have a great meal together.
29 August, Sunday:at noon the group will go to church, then depart.
Participation fee:100 RON/personor 25 Euros.
The fee contains breakfast, lunch, dinner and participation on the organized programmes.
Shared, simple accommodation can be arranged locally on request at Áldomás Guesthouse and family houses in the village. Costs vary between €9 and €12 per person per night. Transport of participants can also be arranged on request.
The programme is subject to change according to the weather!
Registration can be done by e-mail( )or on the following mobile phone number:+4 0727 859 882.
The number of participants is limited. A maximum of 40 can participate on the event.
Registration deadline:10 August 2010.
With respect,
Sárig Attila
organizer