bee

noun, a neighbourly gathering for various kinds of work, often followed by a party (or meal) (DCHP); see also corn-shucking bee, hay bee, thrashing bee, wood bee

“They’d be thrashing or at a bee of some kind, and somebody be telling a big story.”

“They had church in the evenings, like Sunday evening, and like the minister would come down, and quite often her grandmother would feed him before the…”
“They’d have a bee or something.”
“…before the service.”