Fall has always been my favorite season. As summer draws to a close I always begin to look forward to cool nights and decreasing humidity. I look forward football games (cheering for a school that the hostess of this site edits out). I look forward to pulling my hooded sweatshirts and sweaters out again. I look forward to the turning leaves, apple cider and pumpkin pie. And I’ve always looked forward to harvest.

Even when I was just observing harvest from the road as I drove past the fields, I enjoyed it. I loved seeing the farmers in the field, red and green machines working hard all hours of the day and night. When I married into a farming family I continued to enjoy harvest. I got rides in the combine, brought meals to the field and was even coerced into shelling corn one afternoon. Then, last year, we had a baby, right in the middle of harvest. Pretty poor planning on our part!

Last harvest was hard. HandyMan has always helped as much as he could during harvest season, but having a newborn limited his availability. I was at home with Blue all day and needed help (and a break) in the evenings. Some days were pretty ugly. So HandyMan didn’t feel like he could help his dad as much as he wanted to – which made him feel guilty and torn. The few times that his dad did ask for help, I didn’t want him to. I wanted him home with me and Blue, and that made me feel guilty. Both of us were relieved when harvest was over!

This year we are entering into harvest season with some trepidation. After the emotions of last harvest, we are nervous about how this year will go. HandyMan will be helping a lot more this year; going straight from his full-time job to the field and working all evening with his dad as well as helping all weekend. Even though Blue is almost one (wow!), I still feel like I’m going crazy after spending a week home alone with him. I want a break and some adult conversation, so I’m nervous about being home alone with him all day.  I want HandyMan to help his dad because it’s important to him and he enjoys it, but I’m nervous about how I’m going to handle being home alone with Blue so much.

If any other farm wives/mothers or farmers have any suggestions, I would love to hear them!

~Guest Post by MRS