Harvest

A few random end of the season farming thoughts...

Corn harvest is winding down.  A good feeling for our guys. I'm listening to the trucks roar by our house as they try to get a field done late into the night.  They work so hard to keep this "well-oiled machine" operating at maximum efficiency.  I tell Mike from time to time that I sure couldn't do what they do ...together...as brothers...as sons...as uncles...as nephews.  Their father is so proud.  I'm grateful for their efforts.  We lead a darn good life.  Exhausting at times but darn good. 

It's been a great year.  Almost perfect growing and harvesting conditions. 

I only had my camera with me a couple days during bean harvest.  These pics were taken about a month ago.  The colors, oh, the colors!

Supper in the field.

Lasagna - can you tell?

Talking over what they might do next, who they will ride with, how they'll do it different when they "get big", and "Hey, you gonna eat that cookie?"

Wonder what she's thinking about. 

So long harvest.  So long fall.  Time to keep things safe and warm 'til spring comes again.

Winter IS coming. I've been in denial.

  Maybe this weekend I'll put my patio furniture away.

Becky

Driving Age

It's been a long planting season on the prairie.  Last year the last soybean went in the ground about the middle of May.  This year we haven't been so lucky.  It's been very, very, very wet and rainy.  M told me a long time ago that when one lives up here, one should never curse the water gods.  This year it's been tough to hold one's tongue.

That being said, we've had an open week.  The corn is in the ground and the beans are getting planted at warp speed in preparation of this weekends rain and oh, yeah... we have one of our own getting married on Saturday.  I wonder if the groom's more worried about his crops or the wedding?  Grandpa reassured me at supper that the groom is equally as stressed as the bride. 

Clearly, Grandpa has never been a bride!! 

I was having some sappy, sad, reminiscent thoughts about this nephew/groom as I'm driving to the field to deliver supper tonight.  He was about 11 when I came into this family.  It's hard for me to believe that he's this grown up. Ugh!

And then I turned into the field to find this...

...just a really big tractor, right?

But as it came to a roaring stop, I found this...

WHAT???!!!!

THAT'S MY 9 (almost 10) YEAR OLD SON DRIVING THAT GREAT BIG TRACTOR!!  Picture quality isn't all that good through the window - but yes that's also his very proud dad smiling in the buddy seat next to him. 

What??!!

This pic gives you an idea of how big this machine is compared to my "little" boy.  This can't be possible.  Wasn't I changing his diapers yesterday?  He's not going to grow up and leave his mama for a life of his own, is he?  I thought he'd be little forever.  This wasn't part of the initial plan...

at least not part of MY plan!

God and I are going to have a chat this evening.

Dad told me a while back that when the kids get into school, the time will be gone before I would know what happened.  I didn't believe him.  I was too busy takin' care of babies - honestly, wishing they'd kick the growing up thing in high gear so that I could take a nap. 

You were right, Dad.  I finally get what you were telling me.

Here's to living in the moment and spending time with our children. 

Around here we don't have "planned quality time" as the experts suggest.  However, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to work cattle together, ride in a tractor together, weed the garden together, eat supper together {sometimes in the back of a pick up and not around a table}, drive around gravel roads together, fold clothes together, and the list goes on.

My point being -

kids don't need activities, they need time with

Mom and Dad.

Talking is immanent when we spend time with each other!

[OK... I'm done being sappy now.]

A few more shots of the "others"...

#4 has his supper and now it's his turn to take a ride in "the big green tractor".

{use your sing-song voice here..hope you know the words}

#3 (age 6) had her training wheels removed tonight and they will not be returned to her.  No, I'm not being mean - she figured it out!!!  The stopping thing still escapes her.  She chooses falling over in the grass versus pushing back on the pedals. 

{and, yes, her shirt is wrong side out}

#2 could not be bothered for a comment.

#5?  I really don't know where #5 is.  She'll turn up when she gets hungry.

Don't blink - it'll be over before we know it.

Blessings-

B

How Do You Cook?

Sister Jen asked me for my Potato Salad recipe.  Uhhh... well...  I don't really measure anything but I can tell you WHAT I put in it and what it should look like.  Does anyone else do this? 

I didn't know that this type of cooking was permissible in the homemaking realm until one weekend when my dear friend, "J", was staying with us. 

I said to J, "how much of {insert ingredient here} do you usually use in {insert dish here}?" 

She replied to my utter amazement in a cool and calm tone, "whatever I have." 

Can you believe that... WHATEVER YOU HAVE! 

How can one cook without following directions?  But since she's been a darn good cook since our college days, she must know what she's talking about.  Needless to say, this is the only way I cook now.

So, Jen, here's my Potato Salad recipe...

Potatoes - as many as you think you'll need for your crowd.  I usually use around 8 when I'm taking it to a function or for supper in the field.

Mayonnaise - only use Hellman's Real Mayonnaise - 

DO NOT USE SALAD DRESSING (Miracle Whip)

Onion - about 1/2 of a medium white onion, diced.

Celery - 3-4 stalks diced

Salt & Pepper - I use quite a bit

Here's the key...

BAKE THE POTATOES!

 

The baked taste is what makes this version of potato salad shine!  Peel and cube the taters.  Mix in celery, onion, and salt & pepper.  Then comes the mayo.  This is totally personal preference.  I like just enough mayo to add the zing and hold everything together.  Some like it creamier. 

Around here we probably use about 1 1/2 cups of mayo.

Clear as mud?  Now go bake some taters and give it a try.

Blessings - B 

Dessert Anyone?

Here's the easiest and quickest dessert you will ever make!  I'm putting this in the file labeled

"Food You Take To The Field". 

The recipe can be doubled to feed an entire harvest/planting crew (10-15 people).

Super Simple Apple Crisp

½ c butter

1 – 17.5 oz package oatmeal cookie mix

2 – 21 oz cans apple pie filling

½ tsp ground cloves

Place apple pie filling in ungreased 9x9 or 8x8 pan. Sprinkle ground cloves over filling. Melt the stick of butter and mix with the oatmeal cookie mix. Spread this on top of the pie filling. Bake @ 350 for 35 minutes or until the sides are bubbling.

Blessings-B