Harvest

I love this time of year! I grew up on an apple orchard and this was the time of year we would see the apple trees transform from the seemingly mundane jobs my dad would make us do all summer long to beautiful apples growing on the very trees we took care of all year. We would gather every night of the harvest out in the old shed with our uncles, cousins and grandpa to sort, box and then ship the apples to California. The trees have since been torn out and the Fields now sit empty. But each fall I am reminded of those memories I have from my childhood and the joys of the harvest.

The harvest also meant a lot of work for my mom, which I appreciate much more now, not only did she help us in the packaging of the apples, organizing the pickers, feeding the crew, paying the crew and a thousand other unseen tasks but it was her job to preserve and teach her daughters the importance of preserving the fruit so we could enjoy it during the cold winter months. Many hours were spent in the kitchen with my mom making applesauce, chili sauce, bottling peaches, pears, grapes, making jams and drying fruit.

I spent the day today bottling peaches and I am grateful that I know how to and was taught the importance of preserving. I am also grateful to have married into a family who do the same. My mother in law understands how hard it is to have 5 little ones at home and still try to get all your bottling done so she is helping me out this year and I so appreciate it!!

Thanks mom and dad for giving me a deep appreciation for "The Harvest"