Good news for the countryside: Memories of harvest’s past

​I have good childhood memories of harvest time on our home farm near Loughgall in County Armagh. There was always something special about digging the first bucket of British Queen potatoes, or picking Grenadier cooking apples in mid-July for my mother to make the first tart of the season. Those were times when we helped at hay-making for what seemed like weeks on end, especially in a wet season, when we occasionally resorted to making ‘laps’ and ‘lumps’.

But for me, the highlight of the harvest was when our local contractor arrived with his Activ 5ft cut side-mounted combine to cut the barley. I remember that my job was to stand on the side platform and hand empty jute sacks, and lengths of baler twine to the bagging man who was always under pressure, especially if it was a good yielding crop.

The church harvest thanksgiving services were also memorable occasions, with special music and harvest suppers, which we always enjoyed. Hymns like ‘Bringing in the sheaves’ had a particular relevance when I was a child, but I expect that many of our younger farmers may not be familiar with sheaves today, or many of the other farming methods of that bygone time!

All aspects of farming have improved significantly since I was a boy. Advances in technology, improved varieties and a much better understanding of crop agronomy, have all contributed to better yields. However, we must never forget that without adequate rainfall and sunshine, all our efforts would be wasted.

The bumper crops of grass, cereals, fruit and vegetables harvested this year give us every reason to thank God for his promise that, ‘“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease”’ (Genesis 8:22).

As crops mature and ripen, every farmer knows the importance of being ready to start harvesting. However, even though adequate preparations have been made, weather conditions can be very unfavourable and we can easily miss an opportunity, resulting in a delayed harvest, lower yields, or even the complete loss of the crop.

While we can get great satisfaction from looking into farm sheds filled to overflowing, we should be mindful of the parable of the successful farmer who had insufficient storage capacity for his crop.

Jesus tells us about it in Luke’s gospel. In conclusion, the farmer had an idea and said, ‘“I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.” (Luke 12:18).

He went on to say that as he had enough laid up for many years, he would take life easy and would ‘“eat, drink and be merry’” (v19). However, God said to him ‘“You fool, this very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”’ (v20). The underlying point being the very uncertainty of life and being ready – but for what?

In the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah, we read an important spiritual challenge for each of us to consider: ‘“the harvest is past, the summer is ended and we are not saved”’ (Jeremiah 8:20). How awful it would be for any of us to have put all of our efforts into our farm harvest and to have neglected the opportunity of accepting Jesus as our Saviour, so that we can be gathered into heaven by Him in that great and final harvest.

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David is married to Pauline and they have four grown up children. Since retiring from the Grass Breeding Department at AFBI Loughgall, he grows Bramley apples which he supplies to local processors and packers. David is a member of Loughgall Presbyterian Church.

If you would like to talk to someone about any of the issues raised in this article, please email Rev Kenny Hanna, PCI’s Rural Chaplain at [email protected] or call him on 07938 488 372.