Insight: Colors of harvest

By KIM BALDWIN
McPherson County farmer and rancher

I’ve spent a lot of time in the cabs of tractors this month as we continue our marathon of fall harvest.

Spending so much time operating the grain cart during fall harvest has allowed me ample time to get caught up on podcasts, opportunities to start and end new audiobooks, and hear the latest songs on the radio over and over and over again.

While I’ve had this extra tractor time, I’ve also been away from other important tasks. The laundry needs attention. I’ve been slow to respond to my emails. October birthdays will be celebrated later in November. And I’ve officially told my kids they need to conserve the grocery hauls I bring home on the weekends because I can’t make special grocery trips during the week. If we run out of milk, drink water.

If I’m not in a tractor, I’ve been driving through the countryside in a truck pulling equipment to the next field waiting to be harvested. I’ve spent a lot of time on the backroads navigating to the next field.

The other afternoon my daughter was in the truck with me while I was pulling the fuel trailer to a field. She was chatting away about her day, testing me on her latest jokes and riddles she’d been working on, and keeping me up to date on the latest book she’d been reading.

As we approached a tree lined portion of the dirt road, she stopped talking and just looked out the windows until we drove through the trees full of changing leaves.

“You know, Mom,” she said. “I think this is the most beautiful time of the year.”

I couldn't argue with her. The trees are at just the right point of the season where the green summer leaves have turned to the bright yellows, reds and oranges that are synonymous with autumn. They glisten in the afternoon sunlight while moving with the wind, still clinging to the tree branches suggesting there’s plenty of life remaining before winter arrives.

Everywhere I look right now, there’s a warm and fiery palette presenting itself to viewers.

There are people who pay a lot of money to go see the changing of colors in other states. Individual vacations, bus tours and train rides are scheduled around this particular season. Many people either head to the mountains to view the aspens turning or travel back East to see the maple, birch and cherry trees showcasing their peak fall foliage.

But me? I’m perfectly happy enjoying my views from a tractor cab or while driving down the dirt roads as we continue to harvest our fall crops. The background colors of those most beautiful leaves compliment the natural, warm hues of the soybeans and sorghum fields still awaiting harvest.

I know it won’t last for long, so I’m making sure to appreciate all of these peak views now before the leaves dry up and release themselves from their trees to usher in winter.

It truly is the most beautiful time of the year.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.