The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-07-29
HARVESTING OF
CROP BROUGHT
MAKING
Event Ranked With Log
RoIIings, Cuttings,
House Raisines


the mountain people, in a pioneer
ING period which came two cen
turics later than in other parts Of
America. was a barrier which
made of the Blue Ridge highlands
Il country within 4 country. Shut
off from contact and intercourse
with the outside world, there WAS
seclusion and monotony Of life
which might have tended toward
selfish interest and narrow views.
The log rollingS. house raisingS.
corn stockings and quilting par
ties were early customs which
aided greatly in developing indus
try, fellowship. social intercourse.
and a higher type of culture and
manners among the settlers, and
did much to break down the ra-
ciaI lines between the different
nationahtics represented among
the first Corners.
Nowhere today has improve
mcnt ever been made in the old
fashioned method of gathering
ana H"c' ming Nv ~ Jana b.,
hand in the earliest days Of Amer
lea and this region. SO today each
ear must be stripped of It's Gov
'rlmg III inc Tal'[ way .,,
nc r"ri'S''"'N''IET WV ,'''.
i'''i'''E ""'N'''EN' '''' NV, E',, =
'"E$ "'C 81, '.'i','''i, ". '';,.,,i,,,.
iuah''E' "',C vas Nv" a,,
h''WG'n inc farmers III TT L,,.o ,V ,,o
mummy !" see " u" ."", ,,.h ,,"' ,;n,,
'"rEcSI p''r ~ , ,Tim ".F ctar ,ho
CANT '"l ,''' ,.I'N ,,,J.. ~. uotb
co. " N''S NY "Tn ,"'H H.,,, 49,, !,
'''''E' III IN 'TN ',T'' ..;I,J 49, bnro
was P"'l'" "','t NV ,.a,.'. We
H'"PE |,"''E T"' W Wv n.I,,. ~
"nT i"l,I"," "' .h , ~ -, Th;.
an" ''"',' tt !" Wv va, :. w., Co.,.
T I ~ ,,,,;i - I, ',n,, ,av. bad brnn
"3HH' "'.I. " =, .'', sr,aa,, 49, t,yor,,,
e"r" on ''y '1 a.. ~ L ,,tm ~ .nd af
ecu N'"' az NV ,'I,."'' ,,,
zen hui'"'t =" leu ,'''E' '"i'' - ,''t
off on the top uhtiI h"L """'"S'
car would stay III pace. '!u""' '"I
OF huShcIS were IN lh'Sc P'oS' an"
after II had al poem nr"uEn' :"
the hafnEar"' ihVi'a''"''S went ""'
tor the corn Sh"cN'h@. Al 'n' ''' g..
gcr places. as many ~ cIgn,E .I %l
ninety men """'" gam, ~ ~,
early morning an" N'''' wv, :,
Sometimes Ih'S' were "rG"n.H'"
INTO teams Tor a Sn'r''en C"''"'>';;
and many times IN" Glr'S an"
young women would take par''
Like most other affairs OF 'I'"T'
days, the ShucklngS were h'a"T
the occasion Of mCrrIment am"
they always furthcrcd match-maN-
inc. The hndlng al rcu ear
among the corn earned lor inc
man a right to kiss hlS partner
and a yellow ear denoted an ear
~ marriage of the newly plight
ed" couples. While the men work,
cd and iokcd and laughed around
the heap Of corn. the house was
a busting scene. A rr"Wd OF wo,
men were busy setting 'ahi'S aho
preparing dinner. Cakes, PIES and
bread had been baked ahead OF
time. Hams, chickens, turkeys, al
kinds of preserves and pickles
with caldronS of hot coffee dis
appeared in a hurry before the
hungry workers appptitCS.
When dusk came, hOnfrcs anC
torches would be lighted, 70,
sometimes it was late at night be
fore the ioh was completed. The
shucks from the big pile woulC
he stored in harnloft and pens for
nee as winter forage. Usually by
the time corn was gathered, fros
had killed the grass and the cat
tlc had little grazing or rouGhaGt
until shuck$ were ready. This few
weeks when tho stock was some
what limited i'm food stuff came
to he known as the time "bctwccr
Grass and Shuck," an expression
which is still used in some place.
io denote a scarcity, and adds :
roIorful note to the folk express
s;ons Of the region.
In the agricultural communi
tics of the highlands. corn Shuck
incs arc yearly events on mos
Of the farms, and vary little from
those Of earlier times.
When small grain was frs
planted in any quantities IN th'
mountains, it was harvested by
means of the Dutch sickle or rcal
hook, Just as in Biblical times
or the days familiar to Mile
when he painted his pictures OF
peasant life. A ripening croT
brought band of neighbors Il
reap and shock it. A dozen OF
more men would cut through th'
field, then hang Their sickle!