Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2021 occurs on Thursday, November 25. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.

What does harvest mean for Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving, in the United States, is the celebration of harvest. It is about giving thanks for a successful crop yield over the year as winter starts to approach.

Autumn is a special time of year, especially in the Midwest, because for farmers, it is the transition from the growing season to harvest. There's something poignant about the transition from summer’s heat to autumn's gradual relief. For those of us in agriculture, we are nearing the finish line for our long-awaited harvest. It’s what makes this time a year truly special.

I wonder if God created autumn just for farmers. It’s as though the crops, along with the leaves on the trees, lose their bright green color only to wave radiant hues of orange, yellows, and browns, reminding us, the harvest is near. We are almost to the finish line.

Everywhere you look miles of cropland are adorned with corn and soybeans in various autumn shades, yellowing corn and lush green fields of beans turning shades of gold to brown. And interspersed are hay balers working to get the final cuttings off the fields and ready for winter livestock. Is there anything more beautiful than agriculture on display? 

Time to give thanks.

Crops are off the fields. Another season is done. Remember when farmers had the winter off, like someone hit the pause button. That doesn't seem to happen anymore. Decisions for the next season are often being made while our farmers are getting out the current crop and watch commodity prices to gauge best time to sell or hold.

Farming is a hard job and yet wonderful, painstaking and yet rewarding. We've arrived at a season marked by finishes and thanksgiving. So, let's celebrate! Let's give thanks! What are you thankful for this year?

I am thankful for the harvest. I'm thankful for another year and weather that has been more farm-friendly than in the past. I'm thankful for my farmer's health and how hard he works on behalf of God and his family. I'm thankful for my family and the ability to once again, celebrate by gathering together. And I continue to be thankful for a job that allows me to work with those who have a passion for farming and farmers/ranchers.

What a joy it is to work in an industry that gives so much to our communities in the form of food, faith, and family. Thank you for the blessing! And Happy Thanksgiving!