Harvest

The weather here in the Valley has been pretty warm as of late; but with warmer weather comes harvesting. 

What is your favorite vegetable to harvest? 

Lately, I have been getting a fair amount of broccoli and zucchini. While I don't mind harvesting broccoli, lettuce and zucchini are more fun.

Something about those bright green, luscious leaves (and maybe the fact that I love salads) makes harvesting lettuce a very pleasant task. 

And zucchini? Well, it's just pure potential. With one simple twist, loaves of zucchini bread, cheesy zucchini casseroles, or crispy zucchini rounds are all a possibility. And time fails for all the other wonderful things you can do with this versatile vegetable (zucchini brownies, anyone?). Personally, I don't mind it in scrambled eggs either! 

Something that has impressed me this first growing season at Polyface is just how quickly our vegetables have matured. It seems like overnight my zucchini plants took off and developed fruit. The same goes for broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and cilantro. 

While in the beginning stages of their life plants and seeds usually need more attention, I have found that just before a harvest they are quite self-sufficient. 

I think this relates well to life. 

Have you been caught by surprise with the fruit of your choices? Are the actions you have taken over the course of months and even years finally bearing a harvest? 

Personally, I wish only the good things would bear fruit in my life. But often I am surprised by the not-so-pleasant things that I reap (only to recall that my priorities and actions did not align with my desired path). 

On the other hand, how delightful it is when you see the good return of things you have sown and cultivated in the past. Sometimes those things take us by surprise!! The neighbor you have consistently said "hi" to every morning (with no response on their part) is now engaging in a conversation. That debt you have been chipping away at by saying "no" to non-essential items and luxuries is finally about to be paid off. The land you have been faithfully stewarding is now ready to support more animals. Maybe it is a win in the home, garden, gym, workplace, or church but you are seeing your efforts being rewarded with good fruit. 

I hope that, as we head into the heat of summer, your personal, relational, and vocational harvests will delightfully surprise you!  

- Melissa