By Lina Willowwood

The Brandy Badgers go wassailing in the Shire again, singing songs to wish all the local farmers a good harvest.
Oh, and to sample some ales. Or ciders? Aye! Lots! We hope yer will join us!

Date: Sunday January 23
Time: 7:30PM ((UK, 2:30PM servertime))
Location: Longo Burrow’s farm, Tuckborough. Then off to Bywater and Hobbiton

Event details:

The new year brings new beginnings and new hopes. Of course, one hope close to our hearts is to have a plentiful harvest, and not least to have good cider and ales to bring us through the cold of next winter.
To help this along, the Brandy Badgers will go wassailing at various Shire farms, singing songs and wishing the farmers a fine harvest. We’ll follow this route:

• Longo Burrow’s farm, Tuckborough
• Tom Cotton’s farm, Bywater
• Olo Proudfoot’s farm, Hobbiton

We hope that you all will join us during the wassail!

The new year has come,
New cycle begun.
May your home be blessed,
Your woes put to rest.
May blossom your tree,
Good cider we see.

A little more information about wassailing!

The purpose of a wassail is generally to wake the cider trees (or other crops) at a farm for the next harvest, and to chase away any ill spirits that have taken shelter in the orchards or fields during the winter. To do this, we’ll wander between the three farms mentioned above.

At each place, the likely schedule is:

• All will be wished welcome
• The Badgers will play a few tunes to warm up the orchards
• There will be a short wassail incantation/rhyme
• After the incantation, all are encouraged to make as much noise as possible (fireworks, drums, shouts etc) to chase away any ill spirits that may prove a danger to the good harvest.
• Some splashing of cider is also encouraged during this phase, as a gift to the trees and orchards and to show them the fruits of the last harvest.

And off to the next place!

((OOC:

Come join the fun for good-natured hobbit banter, a fine walk through the Shire, festive music and quite a bit to drink. This is a hobbit-preferred event, but should you have good reasons to visit the Shire and join our merry singing hobbits on the walk, then do come along!

The last years we have managed to make a lot of apple trees grow in the Hobbiton farm fields. We hope to make it happen this year too, so please help with that if yer able to! Farmers of artisan level and up can follow the lead of Onionfarmer Pete Proutfoot and buy the needed requirements of his cousin Odo Proudfoot.

Remember, we’ll start at Longo Burrow’s farm just north-east of Tuckborough, then walk around. If you don’t find us, just send a tell to the organizers. ))