The Monograph will consider the Harvest as a central theme and departure point for the study of rural culture and landscape. The research will take two directions that I hope will begin to overlap into a narrative structure, recounting past and present versions of the harvest. The first direction is technical, developing an understanding of farm machinery, terminology, growing technique, and weather patterns. It may also involve looking at the economic aspects of farming, and how it has become tied to the commercial economy.
The second direction is from a social or cultural standpoint. It will be comprised of individual voices re-counting their personal experiences around the harvest, both work and feast. These voices will include my own family members, grandparents and parents, as well as accounts in literature I’ve yet to find. The research may also look more generally at harvest festivals and rituals across the continent.
Finally, although the monograph will focus on the harvest event itself, the research should broaden itself to consider the context of the annual cycle, including the seasons that lead up to, and follow the harvest.
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