CHAPTER VII 



A HARVEST HOME IN 1938 



THE historic custom of having a harvest home 

 has been allowed to lapse of late years, perhaps 

 owing to the fact that farming has been under a 

 very heavy cloud ; this certainly is a matter of regret 

 and not only is it a matter of regret but rather a 

 short-sighted policy. 



To-day we are straining every nerve to make 

 the country-side more attractive, and not only 

 attractive but to make those who have their occupa- 

 tion and business on the land, feel they are people 

 of real importance to the nation. 



I am confident that this effort would be stimulated 

 if the practice of holding an annual harvest home 

 would again become popular. One knows, of 

 course, that it is not always easy or convenient to 

 arrange. Sometimes parties are too small, perhaps 

 the harvest too prolonged or even too disastrous, 

 but surely the difficulty of too small a number can 

 be overcome by the joining together of neighbours, 

 or the farmers in an agricultural village might 

 co-operate and run a show together. If such parties 

 were arranged, the county M.P. could be invited 

 to make an appearance, not to talk about politics, 



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