We know that carving pumpkins, pumpkin patches, or bobbing for apples can be associated with Halloween, but what are the holiday’s other agricultural roots?
Halloween’s origin is believed to tie back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the start of winter.
It was a time when people would bring their cattle from summer pasture to harvest those that they thought would not make it through the hard winter, hold feasts to consume meat, and brew beer following the grain harvest.
Why pumpkins?
In Ireland, turnips were carved instead of pumpkins. It was only until the 1800s that pumpkins came into the picture because they were easier to carve and make delicious pies and soups.
Where do apples come in?
Bobbing for apples was a long-held Celtic belief used to predict who you would marry. Also, it can tie back to 43 AD when there was a Roman festival dedicated to Pomona, the goddess of orchards.
Story via Andrew Amelinckx with Modern Farmer
