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In a previous Milestones article, I wrote of my personal knowledge and experiences with some of the Harmonist Society's seasonal activities. I now want to give an excerpt from a book written by author Christiana F. Knoedler. The book is entitled "The Harmony Society" published in 1954. Christiana Knoedler was the third-born child of John (Fritz) Knoedler and Christiana Kroll - who married October 1, 1890 in Old Economy. She had a sister Elsie and a brother Fritz, Jr.
Christiana relates in her book about the Harmonist Society during haymaking and harvest time. The article is both charming and nostalgic as follows.
Many an old timer remembers the days spent in the hayfields. These were not days of drudgery, because many took part, and there was a certain amount of enjoyment in connection with the work. It was more like a picnic.
During the haymaking season, when the weather was threatening, the entire community would turn out to help, old and young alike; in fact all who were able to work at all did their part. The young women wore large straw hats. Each girl or woman had her own rake. The nine-o'clock and three-o'clock "Vesperzeit" (lunch and rest periods, morning and afternoon) were always enjoyed. The Society provided the lunch, which consisted of bread and cheese, sweet cider and sometimes wine, There was also the water boy, who went around from time to time providing water for the group.
The meadows were all named, such as the "Gosenfeld", "Schmidtefeld", "Bratins, Klamme", "Blumenthal", where they made maple sugar, "Hesslerthal", "Herschwanne", where the last deer was shot, and others "Gerber's Wiese" was located south of Legionville, along the railroad.
According to Jonathan Lenz, a trustee, the last bear was shot by him under a large oak tree, some trees five to six feet in diameter, that stood near what is now Thirteenth Street and Beaver Road. The land between Twenty-fourth Street and Nineteenth Street was then a great field of oats. The grain had to be cut by hand. On a morning in early August 1886, the men started out about six-o'clock - eighteen or twenty men with cradle scythes, and an equal number of binders, shockers, and boys ranging in age from seven to fourteen years, who carried the sheaves in piles of twelve to one shock. By three in the aftenoon the field of oats was cut and shocked, and the men ready to move to another field.
On this particular day the patriarch, Father Henrici, then head of the Harmony Society, came up and surprised the workers by taking off his blue silk coat, picking up a cradle, and cutting a considerable distance. Father Henrici was at that time eighty two years old.
Before leaving the field the crowd gathered under a large white oak tree. Father Henrici asked them to sing a song of praise. He led the singing, as about sixty in all joined in and sang the old German Hymn, "Womit soll ich Dich wohl loben, much tiger Herr - Zabaoth".
In those days they worked from six in the morning to six at night. In addition to the noon meal twenty minutes were given the workers at nine in the morning and three in the afternoon for refreshments. This Vesper cessation from labor was given to all alike, to laborers in both field and shop. No time was lost lighting cigarettes or pipes as no one was allowed to smoke or use tobacco in any form.
Wm. J. Bowan