Enjoying the Harvest

Harvest. There’s just something about it. The air seems to buzz with excitement as the nights get cooler, gardeners share their fresh vegetables, and farmers reap what they sow.

It’s a full season, but we love it. My husband Nick farms with his dad, so this is a big marker for our year. That moment they reverse the combine out of the shed, we all cheer! The kids get excited because they get to go for rides with dad, and we all seem to feel the anticipation of seeing the fruits of hard labor.

Nick is a 5th-generation farmer, and his dad often gets teary eyed at harvest time. There is a weightiness that goes into generational farming — the farm is much more than a business. All farmers know the satisfaction of reaping their reward this time of year, and I think there are lessons in this for all of us.

We all have different areas in life where we can reap a harvest, whether it’s business, family, or personal goals. We rarely see the fruit of our efforts right away, but we look to that reward as we plant, water and tend.

Have you heard the poem “So God Made A Farmer?” It starts like this:

“And on the 8th day God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker!” So, God made a farmer!”

And a little way down, it says, “…who, at planting time and harvest season, will finish his forty hour week by Tuesday noon. Then, pain’n from “tractor back” put in another seventy two hours. So, God made a farmer!”

As the men put in their long hours in the field, I get to enjoy making them nourishing meals and extra reading time in the evenings. It’s my favorite time of year by far — the fall colors, the plants in their most saturated colors, and the change from the summer rhythms. It prompts me to ask, what changes do you want to see? How do you want to finish this year strong? A farmer doesn’t just park the combine after harvest. They clean it, winterize it, and change the oil. Just like the farmer, we need to reflect on our work, settle our thoughts, and prepare for our next season.

My favorite Bible verse is the first one: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” He created, and “it was good.” God enjoyed his creation, and we get to taste that when we create, work, and enjoy the harvest.

Onward and upward,
Bekah