Early Harvest, Seasonal Signs, and Other News Fresh From the Farm

Inside: Harvest comes early this year, odd signs in a dry season, and my new (unofficial) mission. Catch up on all the latest fresh from the farm.

Harvest Comes Early This Year

Harvest has been unusual this year, and the fact that it’s early is a testament to God’s goodness. Because of my cousin Phil’s passing right before spring planting, we weren’t sure what we would do about our crop land. Then enters one cousin who mentioned other cousins we just hadn’t thought of (it’s a really, really big family) and pretty soon the land was rented, planted, and a crop of corn was popping up through the soil and reaching for the sky. And though the summer was drought-dry, causing the corn to mature more quickly, the ears were surprisingly a decent size.

So now it’s barely September, and my seasonal wall of corn is down. Next year it will be soybeans, most likely, which doesn’t create much of a wall. Not my favorite, mind you, but always a lovely sight when a field is thriving and growing.

Such is the rhythm of farm life in the heartland.

There’s no other place on God’s green earth I’d rather be.

Odd Signs in a Dry Season

I am an observer of the natural world, which means paying attention to anything from woolly caterpillars to plant growth patterns to bird migrations and critter behavior. Sometimes that includes the two-legged kind, if I’m being honest. Not that people are critters. But you get what I mean.

With the dry weather, a few things have gotten my attention. As previously mentioned in another post, I noticed the beauty of a field of chicory–the chicory thriving because it handles drought like a pro where the more aggressive weeds needed rain and didn’t grow.

As of late I’ve seen geese flying over a couple of times. Yes, already. Hmm. . . Does it signal an early onset of winter–or a harsh one? I’m not a prognosticator. I’d like to think we’re in for a mild winter with plenty of fall weather proceeding it. Either way, life will be good. Why worry about it.

Mushrooms have been popping up in the yard, too. I hasten to add I am, again, only an observer. I have no idea what is poisonous or not, so I’ll just watch them with curiosity.

Another interesting sign I’ve noticed is this little brown moth that has a white patch and an orange patch on its wings. Or, rather, many of these moths. They are everywhere, all over my flowers. Their presence is not annoying, but I’m wondering why I typically don’t see this many. Except this year.

Interesting. . .

If anyone is a brown moth expert, let me know, will you?

My New (Unofficial) Mission

As I’ve been going through my photography class this year, I’ve learned to keep my eyes open for the remarkable, the startling, the beautiful, the curious. Still learning. And will be for a long time.

I’m also thinking outside the box (pondering outside the container?) and trying new angles, new perspectives, new ways of seeing.

But there’s something I’ve been chewing on lately. This idea that beauty can be found in the most ordinary of things.

As I walk around the farm I see so much that needs repair. Most days I can remain positive, imagining what God has in store for this little farm or ours. But until those steady prayers offered up by Mom and me (and probably Matthew, too) come to pass, I’m looking for beauty in unlikely places.

Watch for it in the coming months.

What’s happening in your neck of the woods? Tell us about it in the comments.

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Posts that appeared a year ago on the blog:

Slipping into Fall, Internet-less, and Other News Fresh From the Farm

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