Harvest Time
Harvest is a season of many things, not the least of which is cutting wheat. We cut our last field this afternoon. The other things that have happened in close proximity to harvest are:
Bible School: I taught this year and had a mixed age group of eight children who were delightful. Teaching is not a difficult task this year as I only am responsible for 20 minutes of time with my class. The rest of my time is spent ushering them to centers. I do take that 20 minutes pretty seriously. If I'm giving up time during harvest to do this job, I want the job to be worth it.
Rain: We had about an inch and a third over the span of two or three days after harvest started. There have only been a couple of really hot and humid days so far, and most days the windows stay open all day. It is glorious weather. The garden is happy.
Mocking bird: There is one that sits on the top of our windmill. It sings all night. On these cool nights when the temps are in the low 60s, with windows open and no noise from fans, I don't mind waking up frequently to enjoy the song so near the house.
Chiggers: These instruments of torture often arrive sometime during harvest, and even though harvest was extremely early this year, the chiggers were earlier. I'm spraying my ankles every day but a few of those nasty critters are still finding me every day.
Cherries: This week I found out there were a couple of cherry trees where I could pick. My parents came with me. The season is almost over so nearly all the pretty cherries were only reachable with very tall ladders, but we got some. Then my parents helped me pit all of them. I'm pretty sure I owe them a pie, even if they would never put that expectation on me.
Apricots: Because the apricots bloom very early, most years a frost eliminates the crop. This year there are apricots, and I'm still hoping to pick a few.
Cicadas: These start their evening droning at harvest time. My sister-in-law has noticed the sound, though I have to admit I haven't heard them yet. But I have seen one slip out of its shell and dry itself in the evening breeze. On Monday when I was talking with Becca I noticed this one still pulling itself free on the cement curb near our house. I grabbed the camera and snapped as we talked. These are the two best pictures I got. After about 15 minutes, it left. I'd gone inside to put the camera back and missed the leaving.
Baling: We need wheat straw baled to use as bedding for our hogs (and mulch for my garden), so whenever Chuck isn't needed on the harvest crew, he fits in baling straw.
Food: During harvest we don't interrupt cutting wheat for meals. Hence meals are delivered to the field. On a good day of cutting that means two meals and an afternoon snack are delivered to the field. For the harvest crews, the cooking is shared by the four of us women who are married to farmers. If we are baling, the guys who are helping also need to be fed. In the last five days I've cooked four crew meals and taken out snacks. With Bible School added to the mix, it means that my mind and my hands do not have a chance for idleness. It is good work, though, and people are appreciative of the efforts.
Enough for now. Chuck is in, since he is not needed tonight, and we are ready for a little down time in front of Netflix...Friday Night Lights, perhaps?
Bible School: I taught this year and had a mixed age group of eight children who were delightful. Teaching is not a difficult task this year as I only am responsible for 20 minutes of time with my class. The rest of my time is spent ushering them to centers. I do take that 20 minutes pretty seriously. If I'm giving up time during harvest to do this job, I want the job to be worth it.
Rain: We had about an inch and a third over the span of two or three days after harvest started. There have only been a couple of really hot and humid days so far, and most days the windows stay open all day. It is glorious weather. The garden is happy.
Mocking bird: There is one that sits on the top of our windmill. It sings all night. On these cool nights when the temps are in the low 60s, with windows open and no noise from fans, I don't mind waking up frequently to enjoy the song so near the house.
Chiggers: These instruments of torture often arrive sometime during harvest, and even though harvest was extremely early this year, the chiggers were earlier. I'm spraying my ankles every day but a few of those nasty critters are still finding me every day.
Cherries: This week I found out there were a couple of cherry trees where I could pick. My parents came with me. The season is almost over so nearly all the pretty cherries were only reachable with very tall ladders, but we got some. Then my parents helped me pit all of them. I'm pretty sure I owe them a pie, even if they would never put that expectation on me.
Apricots: Because the apricots bloom very early, most years a frost eliminates the crop. This year there are apricots, and I'm still hoping to pick a few.
Food: During harvest we don't interrupt cutting wheat for meals. Hence meals are delivered to the field. On a good day of cutting that means two meals and an afternoon snack are delivered to the field. For the harvest crews, the cooking is shared by the four of us women who are married to farmers. If we are baling, the guys who are helping also need to be fed. In the last five days I've cooked four crew meals and taken out snacks. With Bible School added to the mix, it means that my mind and my hands do not have a chance for idleness. It is good work, though, and people are appreciative of the efforts.
Enough for now. Chuck is in, since he is not needed tonight, and we are ready for a little down time in front of Netflix...Friday Night Lights, perhaps?
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