I love this harvest because it is fast, cool, and it reminds me so much of my beloved now deceased grandparents. My family has a long history of growing sugar beets, in fact in high school as part of a sales contest I sold the sugar beet company. It was unique and fun- it was really happening at the time the company was re-structuring and moving from private cooperation at farmer owned. I even dressed in the huge sugar bag costume and gave out sugar in the local mall when I was a youth. Think mascot size, and that's when our mall was a happening place.
Here we are all excited to be spending a day in the field!
The trailer. We use the beets to feed our small herd of livestock. I told each kid they had to pick up 5 buckets of beets before they got to ride. I thought this would get our wagon close to full. While there are a lot of us and that would be 40 buckets (7 kids + 1 mom) it was far from enough.
Everyone helped. Of course the kids found fun ways to complete the task at hand. Sugar beets make perfect footballs, they are aerodynamic and abundant. Mark is shown trying to receive the pass from Harold.
Afton getting refueled. She is a hungry hippo these days. She must be growing. We prefer feeding her to her feeding herself. She was determined to eat the dirt! She only succeeded a little bit.
After the trailer was about half full the kids started dispersing to various pieces of farm equipment. Mark was most concerned and excited to get in the tractor to drive with Juan. Juan is patient and generous letting Mark learn the intricacies of beating the tops off the beets. Mark is sure that Juan needs his help and is very concerned about the harvest being successful without his assistance.
After picking up beets, which helped mom be patient and kept everyone occuppied for the hours we were there, uncle Kevin came to empty his auger...He topped off our trailer with beets so he could grease the machine. Really we picked up a lot, but the mounded top made Greg smile. That's what he would have done had he been there.
When we got done one of our sweet young friends asked if we had gleaned beets to make sugar at home. I guess knowing me that might be a legitimate question. WE do draw the line at such a complex process. Although it made me want to try it just a little bit. Kids firmly said no!
With some more memories made, we had a nice picnic lunch after polishing off a box or two of donuts thanks to some nice truck drivers, and headed to town to do many errands and shopping. The kids were great and it was a really nice day with them. I dread town but it was seriously a very nice that day.
I love days that are peaceful and unified. I love sharing highlights of my childhood with them. I love that we are able to continue traditions started long ago. It is easy to doubt the longevity of the earth and our country with all the changes and negatives happening around, but simple pleasures and activities like this refresh my spirit and fill me with hope and happiness. The future is bright and life is good. I know this when I look in my children's eyes and I feel the strength they absorb from simple activities like helping with harvest, refining their donut taste and watching the grace and beauty found in the scavenging seagulls. Making sugar means more than just the stuff you add to cooking and food, it is also the pleasurable peaceful times we spend together. It is the time we spend enjoying our world and relaxing. We made lots of sugar and it is stored until next year when we add some more to our reserve.
Best to you today.
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