WASSAILING INTO WINTER: A SOLSTICE BONFIRE BLOWOUT

At October’s Nice Vest Harvest Fest, we gathered an absolutely gigantic pile of prunings and trimmings from the orchard that simply must be burned both to decrease fungal vectors for next year’s apple crop, and because it will be extremely delightful to have a gigantic bonfire in a snowcovered landscape on the darkest day of the year. So come all ye pyromaniacs and pomological acolytes, join us on solstice to sing to the apple trees, drink wine and hard cider, and celebrate the celestial new year!

Q: What’s a Wassail?

Wiki paraphrasing: Apple Orchard Wassailing is a ritual to ask the gods for a good apple harvest. Villagers form a circle around the largest apple tree, hang pieces of toast soaked in cider in the branches for the robins, who represent the 'good spirits' of the tree. A shotgun is fired overhead to scare away evil spirits. Also, because I can’t resist a mediocre pun, the corresponding titular theme is Pirates.

Q: Isn’t Wassail in January on twelfth night, not in December on solstice?

A: Yeah totally. But we’re gonna feed like 3 birds with one scone here, have this big fire, celebrate solstice and new years and holidays and the orchard and all the work we did. Listen.. time is a flat circle with no center, ok? so I think the spirits will roll with it.

Q: Is it going to be cold?

A: Heck yah. Wear your coziest most snow-proof boots and thickest socks. Wear ember-proof layers, like jean and carhartt and whatnot, just not polyester outer layers which even pretty small embers will melt right through.

Q: Are we camping ?

A: If you are an extremely hardy theydy or gentlethem, you are totally welcome to winter camp. There will be this big huge fire, but it’s December, so, your call. Otherwise talk to your local friends about crashing at theirs!

Q: Can I help tend the fire?

A: Absolutely! Bring some work gloves if you really wanna get into it.

Q: Can I put other things in the fire?

A: If you want to release some energies from your life, you go aheadn’ bring an emblem of that thing, feed the release-worthy things into it, and throw it in to the gigantic cleansing fire. Do it. Do it!!!

Q: What else can I bring?

A: Songs to sing! Instruments to play! Wine to drink! Cider to share! Warm blankets to wrap around your cozy crush!

it probably won’t look like this but .. it might.