And the Last One

It is tradition to make porgies for supper once every harvest.

Megan usually comes out for that, I'm not sure if it to eat the porgies, or if it's cause she loves us, misses us and wants to help out. :) Probably the last reasons. 

Anyway.... this year sweet little Si bear was there too, such a cute little munchkin!

We started out with oreo cookies

Thats what aunties are for right?! (Hey, she's done the same to my kids) :)

Then we got work, that is after Kerri, peeled, cooked mashed and mixed up the potatoes. Mixed, kneaded, rolled out and cut out circles of dough, we don't let Kerri do all the work, but she is so good at it thats it's hard sometimes! :)

We did help her close them all up. Jen got a day off of the grain cart duties, it was mice to have her home!

I think. :)

Sweet little friends.

Cooked progies, ready to be fried.

After all that hard work the girls attacked the dessert I had made. :)

Although I do think they managed to get some into containers for the field. :)

 And after that I didn't take anymore pictures, I guess it got to busy. Although I do have a picture of the boxes after they get back from the field, they don't come back looking the same as they did when they left. :)

All in all harvest was wonderful. 

We were blessed with safety, working equipment, help, nice weather and a bountiful crop!

What more could you ask for!

Harvest Part 4

In the house, rolling out pie dough, making supper, filling plates.

Little helping hands.

In the field.

Driving the combine, tractor and grain truck.

Dust, sweating in the day, shivering at night, sun in your eyes.

But at 5:30 pm two worlds collide, when its supper time!

We are joined by food, some of us having spent many hours preparing it, while others take a few minutes to enjoy it. 

Food brings us together.

And I guess Kerri and I like to bring everyone together, or we enjoy being up late at night, working. :) But once every harvest, past our bed time, we get out the doughnut recipe and whip up a batch for the people in the field.

Rolling and cutting.

And of course making promises that we won't eat any (that means just eating one, or two) :)

And the picture with the doughnuts. :)

Thanks Nate!!

Such yummy fattening little things. Cant you just feel the pounds being added to you? :) But boy are they worth it!!

And this is for you Rosalie, by the time you got your doughnut the rings around the middle were probably not there any more, but we have proof that we did make them right. :)

Harvest Part 3

So after the last post I thought it would be a good idea to add something, we have helpers at home! :)

Helpers that can:

husk corn

play with the little kids

run errands

check on babies

set the table

fill water bottles

stir things

get kids ready for bed

sweep the floor

clean up toys

take little kids to the bathroom

dig up potatoes

fill the flour container

and many, many other things!

We are so thankful for these helpers, and as the years go by we can see how quickly they are growing up!!

Be thankful for your little helpers!

Harvest #2

The next harvest post is about what happens at home.

I head over to help Kerri with supper around 2:30. I make the dessert and then help with whatever else needs to be done.

Then we take turns, one of us brings out the supper and the other feeds the kids at home.

After everyone has eaten one of us goes out to get the dirty dishes from the field, we get them all cleaned up then we put all the kids to bed, or if we have time sit down and rest for a bit till its bed time. :)

After that I go out and milk the cows with one the boys.

Once we get in from milking I go out to ride with Josh, unless he has someone helping him, then Kerri and I watch a movie and talk till it's late.

Then we either go to bed, or make something to bring out to the hard workers in the field.

Once everyone has their snack we head home, clean up, and then I go home and wait for Josh, and we quickly go to bed before it's morning again. :)

And thats pretty much how each day goes.

Of course all this gets done in between phone calls, giving rides, bringing out diesel, running errands,  going to town, keeping the house clean and the kids under control.

Our harvest life is never dull or boring, it is a time where we all come together, everyone doing their part, weather it's big or small so that together we can get the job done!

We thank God for the harvest that He blessed us with this year, for sunshine and warm weather, even though we had to wait for it some days. For protection when there are many different machines running around. For strength to stay awake all hours of the night. For FAMILY, someone that you can rely on, talk to, laugh with, work hard with, and get harvest done with!!!!

Making rolls for supper.

Baking rolls for supper.

Kerri working

Oops, this is Kerri working. I'm not sure how that other picture got in this post! :)

Yummy veggies.

Going into a shepherds pie. Oh and this is where I mention that Kerri is an amazing cook!! She can not only whip up a meal to feed a large number of people, she makes it taste super duper delicious!!

Cake for dessert.

Plates waiting to be filled.

We put everyones name on their plate and then each combine/truck/swather driver gets a box with all the food in it for them and who ever is riding with them.

It make everything a lot easier to figure out in the field.

Filling plates.

Everyone's boxes being filled.

Kerri and I also have a list of all the things that go into each box,

salt

ketchup

cutlery

drinks

dessert

plate of food

corn on the cob

butter

and whatever else they might need.

The staying at home kids getting their supper.

Brendan is always happy when it's time to eat. :)

Friends! Kaya, Kayla and Brooke.

Eli

Kayla

The boxes back from the field. Ready to be cleaned out, washed out and put aside till tomorrow.

This year one of the weeks of harvest was rather on the cold side, we had 2 or 3 mights of frost! So hot chocolate was brought out on those night to help keep everyone warm. Even the person that didn't like hot chocolate learnt to like it because her tractor didn't have heat and so she gave in and decided it wasn't as bad as she thought. Right Jen?! :)

Kerri is working again! :) This time at a later hour, like 1 am. :)

Frying up apple fritters to take out to the field.

And thats kinds sorta how our days at home went!