A Minnesota Farmers Words About Harvest

Full disclosure, I’m not good at growing things. My parents had a small garden when I was a kid, but they were older, and it got to be too much.  

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But as I have gotten older, I have so much respect for farmers who grow the foods that we buy elsewhere to feed our families. 

Currently, soybeans are being harvested in Minnesota. Sweet Corn was taken in toward the end of summer into September and Wild Rice is harvested Mid-August through the end of September.  

I know some folks in Virginia who farm, and I can always remember them having to be devoted to their fields during harvest season. That’s what I thought of when I came across this on Facebook recently from the Facebook page Minnesota Farm Living. The post was titled “10 Things Most People Don’t Know About Harvest”. 

I’ll share a shorter version of each of these. 

Lunch is eaten in the fields. Either on the equipment you’re working on or maybe the tailgate of a truck. But lunch is eaten in the field. 

Sights, Smells and Sounds- The things that you see and hear during harvest are incredible. The smell of sweet corn is hard to beat. 

Housework? - Uh, yeah, doesn’t happen much during harvest. 

Family time in the Combines- This is a great chance to spend time with your kids and grandkids who want to ride and “help”. 

Field Dates! - Harvest is a time where you’re likely to spend a great deal of time with your spouse and this time can help “ground” you back to why you feel in love to begin with. Of course, spending that much time together can also present its own challenges too.  

Corn on the Ground- Having the understanding corn goes in the combine and not on the ground.  

Necessities for the Combine- Snacks, Drinks, Toilet Paper (you are out there all day after all), insulated lunch bags, and a pillow. Not that you’ll be using the pillow, but that any kids who climb in the cab are put to sleep by the sound of the work being done. 

Sarcasm- You'll likely develop a bit of a sarcastic sense of humor as the days run together during harvest. 

You’ll need help- No one tackles harvest by themselves. Be appreciative of the people who are there to help. 

If you finish first- If you’re lucky enough to get your fields done before your friends and neighbors, go help them. That’s what farmers do. 

 A farmer's life has so many challenges, and to see their words put down on paper about a season they truly love makes me appreciate what they do even more. Thank You Farmers!