Wheat Weaving

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COME SEE A DEMONSTRATION with Janice Pilipow. The 10:00 and 1:00 time slots are reserved for registered school groups, but the 3:00 - 5:00 times are open to the public. Come on down!

Wheat weaving is one of the more beautiful crafts still practiced today, but the origins of wheat weaving go back thousands of years.

Also known as corn dollies in some places, wheat weaving was commonly found in many ancient civilizations. In those days, when everyone’s lives depended on a bountiful harvest, there were many superstitions that abounded. Wheat weaving was believed to ensure a good crop for the year.

At the end of a good harvest season, farmers would gather the last few remaining stalks of wheat. They would then weave the stalks into intricate designs. They believed that doing so would capture the benevolent spirits of the grain that made a good harvest possible.

These wheat weavings were kept inside all winter. When spring arrived, the designs were unwoven and the wheat heads were the first seeds that were sown for that year’s crop. The idea being that the lucky spirit was still in the wheat and would ensure a bountiful harvest.

From: The Woodland Elf.com

Links

• Website yorktonflourmill.ca

Organizer

Yorkton Brick Flour Mill Heritage Society

The Yorkton Brick Mill Heritage Society Inc. was formed in early 2012 by individuals interested in encouraging the preservation of the oldest surviving brick flour mill in Saskatchewan.

Constructed in 1898 by John J. Smith to support the new settlement's agricultural base, the mill was reinvented a number of times by changing ownership and needs until falling into disuse in the late 1980s.

This heritage site is being developed by and for those who believe that history need not exist only in photographs and books. We hope to bring the history and stories alive for others.