91Èȱ¬

Harvest is one of the most important times of the year for farmers.

The season usually starts at the end of September or early October, when different types of food and crops are gathered.

Many of you will learn about harvest time at school, and collect food for those in need in your local community.

But what exactly is the Harvest Festival and why do we celebrate it?

Harvest Festival is a celebration that gives us the chance to learn about and reflect on the food we gather and eat.

It's traditionally celebrated on the Sunday closest to the Harvest Moon, which is a full moon which happens closest to the Autumn equinox.

It dates back hundreds of years to the pagan era when people relied on crops for food, and famers would give thanks for a good harvest.

It was important to them because it meant they could store the food and eat well through the hard winter months.

The celebrations became popular again in Victorian times as a kind of 'thanksgiving' service, including prayer and church services.

Now, we use it as a way to learn about how food gets from the farm to your fork and it's celebrated across religions at different times of the year around the world.

Some children will go to church to celebrate Harvest.

Here, they sing hymns, pray to God to thank him for the harvest and collect food to give to people who are more in need of it than they are.

You may do similar things in school even if you're not religious - you might have a special school assembly, collect food for those in need or even make a harvest display!

Some schools will be taking part in the National Farmers' Union's Harvest LIVE, on 29 and 30 September, which will give pupils the chance to get the behind-the-scenes information about where our food comes from, how they're dealing with climate change and how different times of year affect our food.

What is your school doing for Harvest Festival? Let us know in the comments below!