Harvest Fun

Harvest is upon us! It's now in FULL SWING in our little area of Oklahoma. My mother grew up on a farm, and even as an adult in later years, she would comment on how she loved harvest time, with the "busy-ness" of it. Things HAPPENING. Though I wasn't raised on a farm, I feel like this farm background rubbed off on me in a big way, and I love harvest time, too.


So often, I've wished I could have something to do with harvest. Most of my life, it's just been something that went on in early summer, but I had no part in it. Well, that has changed in recent years, and this year, we're once again a part of it. My husband and older son are helping a local farmer with his wheat. Hubby is driving a truck, and son is driving the grain cart. This farmer's womenfolk are taking care of noon and evening meals. (Note: noon meal = "dinner," and evening meal = "supper.") But I have a slight part, too .... early every morning I fix my guys a good, stick-to-the-ribs breakfast, and send them out of the house in clean clothes, with an ice-water jug apiece and gatorade. Later I do their laundry from the day before to be ready for the next day. So though I'm not in the field or preparing big meals, I've got a little part as a cog in this "harvest machine." And I'm happy.


Sometimes I have strange quirks of what I think I'd like to be able to do. I always thought I wanted to drive a wheat truck. I've seen scads of girls and women who can and do. Boy, does that earn my respect and awe! Or, I always thought I wanted to cook a harvest meal and take it to the field. But my nerves just won't let me take on such a chore of major proportions. But .... I can help. And one time ... I did.


My first "real" harvest experience was rather unique. And now, I look back and laugh at my inexperience! Now given, I grew up watching my mom cook, and wasn't a slouch in the kitchen. But at this particular time, my husband and I had JUST gotten married in early June, and were helping some friends of ours with harvest. Newly-married hubby was in the field, and newly-married me was at the house helping my friend with watching her kids and taking meals to the field. She did the actual cooking, I might've helped a little. Just remember, being newly married, I think my brain was in a fog! But I enjoyed offering my meager help, and was glad to be a part of this harvest thing.


Then one day, she had to be gone. She had left things to fix, and the guys were going to come in to the house to eat at mid-day, so I didn't have to take stuff to the field. Major reprieve for me! So I fixed seasoned hamburger patties, mixed vegetables, and chocolate pudding, probably bread and butter, plus whatever to drink, tea I think. Well ... I put too much seasoning on the patties. Not sure the vegetables were real done, and they were rather plain. And worst of all, there was a fiasco with the pudding! My friend kept powdered milk on hand, as they lived so far out in the country - 30 miles from town. So she kept milk mixed in the fridge to use. So when I made the pudding, I used the milk I saw in the fridge. But I was unaware that it was old, and had gone sour. I discovered this AFTER the guys had eaten and left! (And thanked me for the dinner!) Oh, was I embarrassed. So I hope if I ever make a harvest meal again on my own, that it goes better than this one did! But the guys survived. And I was sure glad when my friend got back! I remember some excellent enchiladas she made one day that we took to the field.


That was sure an interesting time. One day, I spent with my new hubby out on a tractor, and that was a treat for me. Another time, in the thick of harvest, he and I were out in the field very late, after midnight, waiting for a combine to unload. There we were in the middle of nowhere, dark, wee hours of the morning, and if you looked 'WAY off on the horizon, you could see the red light on the TV tower by town. It was peacful and different. Then we took the wheat truck on into town for the night (what was left of it - the night, that is), and got a smidgen of sleep. Then got up early, and I assume we dumped the wheat (blurry memory due to early-marriage brain fog!), then it was back out for another day.


Mom had memories of helping with harvest meals as a girl back in the '30's in western Kansas. This was during the "Dust Bowl" days. She said their constant harvest meal every day, twice a day, was fried chicken, potato salad and chocolate cake. It was her job to make the chocolate cake. I've got the recipe for this cake ... a lady friend of Grandma's had shared the recipe with her. In honor of all this "harvest fun" and "harvest memories," I'm going to share that recipe here to wind this post up. Enjoy!


MAHOGANY CAKE


1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup coffee
1 tsp. soda
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Combine flour, cocoa and salt. Combine coffee and soda. Add the flour mixture and the coffee mixture alternately to creamed mixture. Add vanilla and vinegar. Pour in pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until it tests done. Frost as desired.