Happy Harvest

I am in love with the change of Season that we are greeted with each quarter in Iowa.  The cool crisp air that Fall brings--that turns into a snow storm that leaves you stranded inside for a day in the Winter--switching to Spring that delivers brand new babies--and in turn switches to Summer which delivers everything outside.

My body begs for change every few months, and that is exactly what we get.  And Fall?  Fall is by far my favorite.  I love everything about it.  The colors.  The air.  My Fall decorations.  Pumpkins and trick-or-treating.  Baking fresh apple recipes.  And, Harvest itself.  The hustle and bustle of the farmers that are busy in the field.  All the talk that is floating around about how good/bad their yields in the fields are, or how many bushels they have.  How wet/dry their fields are, etc.  I work in an environment that has farmers all over talking about Harvest......and I love that about our rural community.

I see women delivering meals to the men who are busy working in the fields.  It brings back so many memories of when I was a little girl, and I used to help my Grandma prepare the meals to bring to the field.  I have so many fond memories of that, and helping my Dad and Grandpa in the field.

So, I did what any Farmer's Daughter would do, and brought my oldest Son to experience a little glimpse of Harvest himself with Papa.

Carson loves tractors, and has just recently fallen in love with his little combine.  The kind of love that leads him to think he needs to have that combine with him at all times.  In bed, on the toilet, during supper---he seems to always have it in his hands.  Everywhere.

Last year, I brought Carson out to the fields, and we took a combine ride.  He was his true self, and it didn't surprise me one bit that he was very leery, and rather scared.  It is how Carson responds to every new situation, and I was not shocked.  But this year---I just had this gut feeling that it was going to be completely different.  And it was.

We talked about it for a very long time.  I thought preparing him for what we were about to experience would help.  Kind of like what I do before we are ready to go and get his picture taken.  Although, that situation never turns out as well as this one.  I mean, I don't think it matters how much preparing you do with this kid before pictures, he will always refuse and cry.

Anyway---I got off subject.

Back to combining.  We got out to the field, and Carson was so excited to see the combine heading towards us as the bean head was rotating 'round.  His face lit up, and I knew this was going to be good.

As the combine approached us, and got closer and closer---I felt Carson's legs wrap around me really tightly.  I think he was really nervous to get into this big piece of machinery.  And to be honest with you---I don't blame him.  That thing is big, and loud, and rather intimidating through his little eyes, I am sure.  But my little guy was brave, and got into the combine without a peep.  Generally if he is scared or nervous and doesn't want to do something, you will know.  He lets his voice be heard.  But this time, he soaked it all in.

We jumped in, and it didn't take him long to loosen up.  He instantly started to narrate everything that was taking place right before his eyes.  "Combine picking beans, I help Papa pick beans (he calls them green beans--so cute!), I unload beans into the trailer (wagon)" and so on.  Carson then decided that he needed to sit on Papa's lap and help him drive the combine.  This is when it got a bit tricky.  The combine has an "auto-steer" feature, so you are not allowed to touch the steering wheel, otherwise it will kick out of that mode.  It took a while for Carson to grasp that concept, but he eventually followed directions.  Later on, the ground was a little rough, and Papa wasn't using auto-steer, so Carson got to help steer.  I heard a few times "Wow, he has got quite the grip!" and "Let Papa help you steer" come from my Dad's mouth.  I had to kind of laugh, because Carson took this combining thing super serious.

Insert picture of his "this is serious business" face:

He doesn't take the job lightly.  This picture makes me smile, because I can remember all of those times that I thought it was so neat to be the "co-pilot" while riding with my Dad or Grandpa.

Our family may not live on a farm, but my boy may be a farmer in the making.  And if I didn't think he went anywhere without his combine before---he really isn't going anywhere without it now!

We already have another combining date planned for this week.  Only this time we will be in the corn fields.  Carson can't wait!  He actually hasn't stopped talking about it since we left the bean field.

Happy Harvest!  My most favorite time of the year.