Using the big harrow, it took Earle only 4 ½ days to “lay by” 62 acres of beans. In former years it would have taken a crew of 6 to 8 men two or three weeks at big wages to do it. – Ina Dobson, July 1933
“The big harrow,” writes Grandma Ina. She would be in awe of the big combines, hopper, and trucks that do the job now. In fact, I’m in awe!
Now
that harvest is over, it’s lovely to be able to hike all over the farm again.
The machines have left some decent trails. Even though it’s warm, I wear jeans
to protect my legs, and I have new “every day” shoes – light hikers with firm
soles and good tread.
Harvest
these days just isn’t the same as it was back in the days of my youth. This was
a community of small farms, and the grain harvest happened mostly at the same
time for all the farmers. They were doing essentially the same thing at the
same time. August still reminds me of the old harvest days – lengthening shadows,
back to school, Octoberfest, Halloween, and gratitude for nature’s bounty. (Sounds
like a visit to JoAnn’s!) August just has its own unmistakable ambiance.
But
– the small farm couldn’t last. The first machines were small, but as the years
passed, they kept getting bigger and bigger – and more expensive – until finally
the small farmer couldn’t afford to farm. A farmer had to have more land – and even
more land – in order to make farming pay.
Today, those of us who hold land here have leased to one or two farm operators. Harvest still happens, but instead of all of us working at the same time, we watch the operation move from place to place over the ridge. When they get to our place, they finish in a day.
Harvest
in the old days meant hard work for everyone. The men worked in the fields. The
women made a big noon dinner, including baking bread and pies on a wood cookstove
on a hot day. The farmer fed his workers at his table, and that was a pleasant
social aspect. Today, the operators don’t stop to eat or even pass the time of
day. They carry food with them and eat in the air-conditioned cab of the
combine. The most we get is a wave and a smile.
The
evening meal, at least in our family, was a light repast, and we were in bed
with the sun to arise early and do it all over again the next day. It was tough
if you were a night owl, and I was.
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for our region. Last week was cooler and pleasant, but we brace now for temps in the 90s here at altitude, possibly even reaching 100 on the hottest day. The predicted high for the Valley is 110. Mike picked up a few supplies for us yesterday so that we can stay here at the farm for now. KW
While the weather is quite hot for a few days, it is so reminiscent of our days of youth. I remember hot, hot days in our little valley/canyon. And you and I would spend out afternoons in the pool, holding our noses and sitting on the bottom! There's a feel in autumn's air, even with the heat, of cooler days to come, and falling leaves and school. A special time in my memories.
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