Home Spun Christmas

This year we started off the Christmas season with a trip to Branson Missouri, bedded in the Ozark Mountains. Our family is large and we have a bunch of kids, but that doesn't slow us down when it comes to family outings. We operate on the buddy system, every big kid has a little kid to walk around with. It can be a long car ride and loud, but we usually make it work. Time devoted as Family Time is important and we cherish the trips we're able to take together. 

        Our favorite in Branson is Silver Dollar City which specializes in putting on an old fashioned Christmas. The smell of baked goods fills every shop and classic shows such as It's A Wonderful Life and Dickens Christmas are performed live in different theaters. Everyone is dressed up and Christmas music streams through the streets. At night the Christmas lights are overwhelming and we love taking the night time train ride that circles the town and ends with the telling of the Christmas story.

Another Christmas favorite is decorating our family tree. Throughout the year my mom will find ornaments that mirror each one of our personalities/hobbies. These are added to the collection and will continue to go on our tree every year until we each have a home of our own and then we get to put them on our own individual trees. 

Every night in December we read our advent book which tells of a young Jewish boys' journey leading up to the birth of Christ, the last reading being on Christmas morning. After the reading we head downstairs for the presents. It can be kinda crazy at our house, wrapping paper and boxes everywhere. The smell of baked cinnamon rolls and fresh brewed coffee fill the house, and we spend time playing with our new toys and trinkets. This wraps up the Christmas morning and then we head over to Granny's for Christmas dinner.

      Many things come to mind when I think of Christmas: family, lights, hot cocoa, caroling, sewing, that barbecue ham my papaw makes, playing games, sledding and warm fire places. It always leaves a warm feeling inside and most of all reminds me of the night my king was brought into this world. Merry Christmas everyone!
- The Harris'

 

Harvest Happenings

The harvest season is a very busy time at our farm. From August to November we have a variety of crops being harvested. In early August we begin cutting our 60 acres of dark and burley tobacco.This task calls for all hands on deck. It's a very tedious job that has many stages: cutting, spiking, picking up, putting in the barn, firing, taking down and stripping. Tobacco is definitely the most labor intensive crop we grow, however it yields the best returns.
               Combining beans and corn is another phase of the harvest. My role in the row crop harvest is helping move equipment, bringing lunch to the guys, and often making trips for equipment parts when we have a breakdown. Combining with dad is very popular at our house and among the neighbor kids. Everyone wants a ride in the big green machine.
               In September we set out our strawberry plants. The whole family participates in this event; willing or unwilling. Sometimes it a takes a few bribes... Each of the 23,000 plants are set out by hand, this year we had eighteen people out in the strawberry patch. The following weeks I set up fences to keep the deer out, get my irrigation running, pick off runners and apply the row covers, putting the plants to bed for the winter.
               The Last stage of harvest is stripping tobacco. Our migrant workers usually have our dark fired tobacco stripped by mid to late November. This year, my brother and I decided to save some money and strip the 10 acres of burley ourselves. This could potentially drag out until February making for some cold work days. My boyfriend, Logan, has been roped in along with a couple of friends to speed the process up and help pass the time. Although the work is long, cold and fatiguing, I enjoy the time and memories made; singing along to the radio, sharing stories, talking about what we'll do on payday and arguing over who's stripped the most.
              Towards the end of the harvest we celebrate Thanksgiving. This holiday is very special to our family. It's a time when we're all together and we reminisce on all the blessings and fruits of our year. The Lord has given me so much and shown me grace in countless ways. I have a wonderful family and friends. The crops have done well and I find so much joy in the small things, even if it's working on a quilt or drinking a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning. Life can throw many difficulties and challenges but God continues to show me how to be content in all things large or small, and how to enjoy life and the opportunities He gives.