Thanksgiving on the Farm

I love the holiday season, but I swear, the time between Halloween and Christmas gets shorter every year. 

Which is why I am just now getting time to tell you about Thanksgiving farm style.

I love Thanksgiving, but what I really love most is the day before Thanksgiving.  The major cleaning is done.  The table set and decorated.  I am filled with anticipation of the joyous celebration of family and thankfulness that will take place the next day.  I throw myself into a frenzy of cooking and baking, all the while dreaming of a Norman Rockwell family dinner with everyone gathered around the perfectly prepared foods set on the beautifully decorated table.  Everyone is smiling and happily visiting as the food is passed.  The children beam with eagerness, awaiting their filled plates. 

The day before Thanksgiving, I still think it will happen like that. 

We live on a farm.  It never happens like that!

The first surprise came the evening before Turkey Day, when all four grandchildren showed up to spend the night.  (I misunderstood the request of "Coming out" thinking it meant a short visit.  I realized my mistake when they arrived carrying overnight bags.)  I only cook for Thanksgiving on the day before, so I scrambled frantically for something for the six of us to eat.

"Don't fret," Hubby soothed, "I'll keep them occupied tomorrow.  It'll be like old times."  "Sure", I muttered, "I'll just squeeze in breakfast between peeling potatoes and making the pies."

The next morning Hubby finished his coffee and left to go to the barn to feed.  It wasn't long before I heard the back door open and feet rushing through the utility room.  "Get the boys!!" Hubby urged, "The cows are out and heading for the road!"  The two younger boys were ready in two shakes but the teenager was still trying to focus.  "Do I get to eat?" he mumbled.  "Yep" I responded, "Here's some peanut butter on toast!  Now hurry!"

Soon the cavalry was headed over the hill to the pasture in the bottom.   Hubby and son had been replacing a fence along the bottom that we grow tobacco in.  They thought they had it fixed enough that the cows would stay in, but the lure of the winter wheat planted on the tobacco ground as a cover crop was too much for the cows.  The mama cows were munching happily on their fresh salad but the calves were exploring the area beyond the unfenced tobacco ground.  With no barrier to keep them from going as far as the highway getting them back into the field was urgent.

As soon as they were rounded up and herded back,  Hubby started organizing his work force to string barbed wire to make sure they stayed there.  About mid-morning our son wandered in, anticipating scarfing a few munchies before dinner.  "Where is everyone?" he asked.  "The cows got out so they're in the bottom fixing fence."  "Uh, oh" he laughed, "I'd better go referee before things get ugly." 

Dinner time came and my daughter-in-law and I looked at each other over the food keeping warm on the stove.  "Well,  there's no point in wasting the appetizers." she laughed, as she poured us both a glass of wine.  "They'll be here when they get here!" 

We were well into our second glass when the workers came in.  "Mission accomplished with only the loss of one shirt."  son said as he poked his finger in the hole in the side of his shirt.  Barbed wire is nasty to work with. 

We women jumped up and started reheating and repairing the now late dinner.  The dinner, while maybe not Norman Rockwell, was delicious. 

After dinner, the men were headed for the couches and a snooze, when the phone rang.  It was our neighbor, "I just came home from Mom's and noticed that your cows were out in the bottom!"  With groans all around, the work crew headed for the barn to start all over again.

For those of you thinking it was a poor fencing job, the second time they came through the water gap in the creek.  It seems that once they got a taste of the winter wheat they would all but climb a tree to get back to it! 

Just another Thanksgiving on the farm.