RETURN
This year, for the first time, the Kampinos Forest Haymaking Festival in Granica was held in the Kampinos Forest – a celebration of work, tradition, and love of nature. The weather was kind to the nearly seventy participants who, armed with scythes, rakes, and pitchforks, eagerly set to work like farmers of old. The rustling of the grass mingled with the sound of scythes, the scent of hay, and the laughter of people who, through their joint effort, built not one but two fine haystacks – symbols of community and a return to the old rhythms of nature.
All this was done in gratitude to the farmers of Kampinos, who for generations have shaped these meadows, creating space for storks, sandpipers, water rails, and black grouse. Thanks to them, the forest not only rustles but also teems with life.
A heartfelt thank-you goes to the residents of the forest villages, lovers of Kampinos, tireless volunteers, and the staff of Kampinos National Park. It was their hands and hearts that brought this tradition back to life, making the forest once again echo with the sounds of haymaking of old.
The event would not have been possible without Mr. Ryszard Kurek, who led the haystack building, Mr. Jacek Jerzmański, who conducted a workshop on traditional scything, and Agnieszka Gutkowska, a botanist at Kampinos National Park, who spoke passionately about the richness of meadow flora.
