When we started living this gypsy lifestyle, I was lucky to have had a bit of an instructor in my grandma. However, the majority of what I learned and grasped as help came from other #HarvestHER friends. This was 20+ years ago. A couple of the HarvestHER secrets that I still use includes a Rubbermaid tote and a 2 gallon Igloo water jug.
The tote is filled with everything I might need for a meal – dishes, plates, silverware, salt/pepper, sugar, plastic grocery bags for dirty dishes, toothpicks, etc. And, of course, enough for extra people because it never fails if someone comes to the field for a visit, it’s at mealtime. At the end of cleanup, I would re-pack my “harvest bucket” and it was ready to be grabbed again as we left the trailer house. My tote sits idle this year – waiting for the kids to show up sometime to be used again.
My “harvest bucket” filled with all that is necessary for a meal and ready to be grabbed as we head out the door.
And don’t forget about the plastic grocery bags! These are wonderful to fill with dirty dishes and thrown in the pickup. The gooyness of the meal can be thrown away as the dishes go in the sink to be washed.
The other secret I learned was to make and keep iced tea in the water jug so it’s ready to go at all times. I make a strong concentrate of tea by brewing it in my coffee pot (gallon tea bags can usually be found at Sams). I dump it in the jug (while still hot) that’s been filled with ice (to the very tip top). As the hot tea is dumped, the ice melts to dilute the brew. I add more water to fill it to the top. This will last as long as the tea stays cold. But on a hot day, it usually doesn’t last very long!
Fill to the top with ice, dump hot brewed tea and fill to the top with water. Iced tea ready to go at all times!
I learned all of these little secrets while working with Warren and Linda Bachman. She was an AWESOME mentor. And, yes, the water jug is the very same one we bought together, Linda!
How about you? Do you have a harvest secret you can share with the rest of us?
1. Be ready to go at the drop of a hat...sometimes without a lunchbox.
2. Has removed the word impossible from her vocabulary!
3. Can hold a baby, take care of a toddler and drive a tractor or combine all at the same time.
4. Must be able to cook for a crew - large or small.
5. Must be able to read minds.
6. Must be able to banter with a parts man until he realizes you DO know what you're talking about.
7. Must be the entertainment director for those rainy days.
8. Be a wife, mom, friend, helper, cook, problem solver, taxi driver or extra crew hand at all times.
9. Can handle the call that makes you react, "You need what? When?" Dropping everything you're doing to make it happen.
10. At the end of the day say, "I really do love this life".