Erbe's Harmonizing preparation is one of the simplest to make - the ingredients are not exotic and the work undertaken beforehand is not excessive. The effort has gone into organizing the social event and ceremony as can be gleaned from the beauty of the dais which was created to show the preparation and the ingredients. This was Oaklands Park's harvest festival after a wonderful early harvest due to the damp spring and the warm summer. However it was undertaken in the light of a continuing drought and the vegetables in the field suffering from the lack of water.
The ingredients are in the seven bowls around the earthenware pot. Milk, oil, honey and grain in the upper layer and salt eggs and grapes below.
The porridgy dough came out like a runny muesli mix with a powerful alcoholic waft as the jar was opened. Perhaps it could have done with a bit more time since the fermentation had not completed.
The porridge was put into the wood barrels and stirred for an hour. Many hands making light work and many mouths making a festivity.
The stirred preparation was taken around the estate, principally the cultivated areas. I took my bucket and freshly made whisk to the reed bed sewage system and spread it around. The preparation is an 'expression of gratitude' to the beings of nature for the work that has resulted in this harvest. I tried to keep this in mind whilst broadcasting the drops.
Others went to different parts of the estate returning to a festive tea.