The Lady of Stavoren was a rich and haughty Dutch widow. Wanting to outdo the town’s other merchants, she commanded a sea captain to bring her a cargo of the most precious thing in the world. When he returned with a hold full of wheat – the staff of life – she cursed him and had the wheat dumped into the harbor. It germinated, grew and choked off further commerce with the rest of the world.

The town, and the lady herself, lost all wealth. The moral? Do not scorn life’s simple necessities.

In many English counties, the last sheaf of wheat was carried home with ceremony, the stalks being worked into a human form, often laced with witch-repelling red ribbons. This charm of continuity was hung in the farmhouse kitchen until being replaced the following fall. The ritual safeguarded future harvests; the farm’s prosperity depended upon it.

A farmers’ saying advises to “Sow wheat in dirt, and rye in dust.” In other words, rye must be planted in drier conditions than wheat.

Wheat, symbolizing fertility, was thrown over the bride at weddings. In Wales, two grains of wheat – one each for a courting boy and girl – were set upon the fire in a shovel. If they jumped clear of the shovel, the couple would “bound into matrimony.”

On St. John’s Eve in Brittany, men wearing green wheat sheaves and women wearing flax blossoms would assemble around an ancient stone and place wreaths upon it. If they stayed fresh for some time, the lovers would be united. If they quickly withered and died, so would the romance.

Lammas is the first of the three pagan harvest festivals, the other two being Mabon (the autumnal equinox) and Samhain (Halloween). Wiccans mark the holiday by baking a figure of the Sun god in bread and eating it, to symbolize the sanctity and importance of the harvest.

The Irish name Lughnasadh is used in some traditions to designate this holiday. The festival is also referred to as August Eve.

The name Lammas (a contraction of “loaf mass”) implies it is an agrarian-based festival and feast of thanksgiving for grain and bread, and honors the first fruits of the harvest. Christian festivals later incorporated elements of pagan rituals. Our harvest home and fall festival (where there is often a cake walk) derive from these observances.

Even today, British farmers may leave the last sheaf in the field, or tie it to the gate.

It’s still important to honor the staff of life.

– A reference librarian, Lisa Karen Miller has been gardening and researching plant lore for many years. Have plant lore to share? Email lisalisa13131313@gmail.com.