Happy fall!
Randi Beckley – Beckley Harvesting
Fall harvest is always more stressful than summer harvest, at least for me as a harvester’s wife. During summer, the kids and I tag along with Jake wherever he travels next, with very few obligations other than to provide supper for our small crew. During fall, however, things are much busier. I have to take kids to school and various other activities, have commitments at school and church, have family functions to attend, and I still have to cook for our crew, which expands from six or seven summer guys to nearly two dozen in the fall. Thankfully, my sister-in-law and I share cooking duties, so we each have two days of cooking and delivering meals, and then two days off.
Fall harvest also means less sleep for Jake, as he usually leaves the house around 7:30, and typically comes home around midnight. This fall in particular will mean less sleep for everyone, since our new baby is expected to arrive within the next couple weeks. Normally, this wouldn’t be too big of an issue, since we would be nearly finished with harvest anyways; this year, though, harvest is expected to stretch until almost Christmas.
Our youngest daughter sleeping in the combine cab.
This means my parents-in-law will have to scramble to help in the fields when Jake has to leave to go to the hospital. It means that when Jake gets home from the field to collapse in bed each night, he will still not be getting much rest. It also means that my sister-in-law will be stuck with double cooking duties until I can recover enough to help her out again. In other words, this baby is going to turn everyone’s lives upside down in the busiest time of the year. Let’s at least hope he’s cute.
HarvestHER tip: keep white board markers in the cab for kids to color on the windows.I would venture to guess that no one in the family will complain (at least not loudly), and that everyone will step up to help us out, because that’s what family does. We support each other, work together, and love each other. Sure, working with family can be a challenge sometimes, but it can also be the greatest blessing in the world, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Definition of a HarvestHER - a strong woman willing to do whatever it takes to get the harvest in. She must have these qualities:
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".
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".
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