Hey, everybody! Reader here, and it’s good to be back after a little vacation.

I spent the majority of my time off home at the farm, just outside of Conquest, not quite an hour southwest of Saskatoon.

I crushed some turkey with the fam on Thanksgiving, celebrated my Dad’s 68th birthday, did some running around in the Bridge City, and we made a quick trip out to Calgary this past weekend, to celebrate my great uncle Art and great aunt Avis’ 70th wedding anniversary! It was a busy time, but on top of that, I was home and able to help Mom and Dad wrap up Harvest 2024.

I’m often not around home when harvest is in full swing, so it was really nice to be able to help out.

We don’t have a huge farm, but between the cattle and the crops (and constantly needing to repair equipment), it’s enough for Dad and Mom to keep them running.

This year, our crops were oats and barley, and luckily, the yield was a bit better than expected, which is always nice to here, especially since after a wet spring (we got more rain at home in May and June than we did the last three years combined), the summer was another dry one.

Of course, even with harvest in the books, there’s always work to be done on the farm, and we were back in the field moving bales

Of course, with the last few years being so dry, Dad has had to buy bales to feed the cattle, but with the wet spring, we had more bales that you could shake a stick at, and the pastures have been decent enough that the cattle were able to graze all summer. Go figure!

I tell you… there’s something special about harvest season in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The prairies are beautiful, with fields stretching as far as the eye can see, with golden fields gently swaying under a cool, autumn breeze, with the rumble of combines and grain trucks in the distance creating a mellow backdrop.

But it’s not just about getting the crop in the bin. It’s a celebration of life’s simple joys and hard work. Sitting on the tailgate having supper out in the field, or if you’ve finished up, rip into town and load up a plate at the nearest fall supper, where laughter blends with the aroma of home-cooked meals, and neighbours comparing notes over the fieldwork that has just ended for another season, with every grain picked telling a story of hard work, friendship and gratitude.

Last week’s crop reports indicated harvest is 99 per cent complete across Saskatchewan, and around 98 per cent done to the east in Manitoba, so the season is pretty much a wrap.

I hope everyone has had a safe, successful harvest!