Random Thoughts on Harvest

As one who grew up in urban sprawl, I am awed by harvest time.   Fields and orchards cover the hillsides and valleys which surround this town.  We cannot walk without seeing freshly plowed ground, noticing trees loaded with fall fruit, and tripping over walnuts and buckeyes on the ground.  Harvest is upon us.

Harvest display in Liel

We live not far from a little town where one person majors in cute displays of his/her fall harvest.  I have never seen so many kinds of pumpkins and squash, with soup made from either a favorite at local restaurants and fests (fairs).

Buckeyes

Sometimes I hear voices below our apartment and look out to see gleaners.  The buckeye tree just across the street stands over four stories high.  It drops yellow leaves and ripe buckeyes daily, much to the joy of those who love to eat them.  Smitty tried both boiling and roasting the nuts and decided that he would leave the buckeyes to others.

Harvest's evidence extends to all of the little "fests" which occur in the towns in the region.  Placards boast of a Herbstfest (Autumn fair)  almost every weekend.  The biggest fest of all will be Herbstmesse in Basel on October 31st.  The BFA students traditionally ride a bus into Basel for the evening events.  Fortunately, the next day is All Souls, a national holiday, so everyone can sleep in!

Erntedank display at BFA Elementary

Yesterday I arrived at the BFA Elementary School to find a colorful presentation of apples, squash, corn, cabbage, and other edibles on the table in the entry.  While Germans do not celebrate American Thanksgiving, they do celebrate harvest with "Erntedank", which means "harvest thank".   Local farmers bring their harvest to the town church and school for display to demonstrate gratefulness for the year's harvest.

These traditions are comforting reminders of life lived more slowly.   They remind me that life is sustained, not by my efforts, but by the blessing of God who gives the harvest.