Navigating the juggle of harvest

BY CAMILLA HERBIG, COLLIE NSW

 

Lights dotted across the horizon and dust hanging in the warm air signals harvest is in full swing.

While the paddocks are a hive of activity the house is a chaotic mess – washing baskets, plastic food containers, water bottles, toy tractors from the latest reenactment of ‘collecting the grain from Grampy’s header’, and remnants of grain and stubble shed from the clothes of a weary farmer at the after-midnight shower time.

There’s a whiteboard on the fridge of meal and snack ideas as a reminder to keep things varied, and a freezer filled for the days when all well-laid plans go out the window.

The stressors experienced in cropping are varied, and I’m sure we’re some of the biggest gamblers out there.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars can be spent preparing paddocks, planting, fertilising and spraying crops and working on machinery for harvest with no real guarantee it will pay off.

There are weeks of preparation servicing machines, recruiting and inducting staff, cleaning and planning grain storage, watching market prices, and preparing meals, which can leave anyone feeling weary before the header even fires up.

Once crops are ripe it’s all systems go to get as much harvested before weather or breakdowns throw a spanner in the works.

Mechanical issues, breakages, wet weather, wind, storage capacity, transport logistics, quality and quantity of grain, domestic and international market fluctuations – these are just a handful of the factors being considered or actively addressed in a fast paced, high stress environment.

And please don’t forget the supporters behind the scenes keeping the wheels turning. Cooking, washing, cleaning, paying wages, delivering meals, helping to move machinery, running to town for parts or grain samples, solo parenting and keeping up with all the extracurricular activities and household admin alone.

So as a farming wife, mother and social worker, what are my strategies for getting through the busy times with some sanity and an intact relationship at the end?

• Preparation is key: we know harvest is going to be busy, so getting as much planned, cooked, organised and discussed before hand is critical.
• The early bird catches the worm: Often preparing lunches the night before or cooking and packaging dinners in the morning can save a tonne of stress later in the day when plans often go out the window!
• Soak in the little moments: the joy of kids seeing dad for 10 minutes while delivering meals, a picnic on the lawn watching headers when they’re close to the house, or a conversation with loved ones while moving machinery.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff: a bit of dirt on pyjamas from the dinner run before bed or another simple dinner is going to be ok. We can get things back on track in a few weeks.
• Accept help: if there’s someone offering to help with cooking or the kids, take them up on the offer if it will buy you some time. It may also include reaching out to online communities for advice, ideas, or outsourcing where possible – a burger from the pub for dinner is a win for everyone!
• Consider what self-care can still be achieved: while a day off or sleep in may seem like a distant luxury, healthy meals, drinking enough water, talking to loved ones, adding a favourite treat to the grocery shop, or listening to your favourite music or podcasts are manageable. It’s important to prioritise yourself once the busy time is over.

And for the friends of those in the thick of harvest?

• It’s a lot: understand this time can be all-consuming and often critical to the livelihood of your loved one. They may be a bit absent or slow to reply but will be back soon.
• Listen, validate and support: venting frustrations relating to harvest or sharing the load are often a way of decompressing and coping with stress. Giving space to be heard and validating the difficult situation they may be in can often be all that is needed, not necessarily solutions to the problems.

An analogy I often share is that we’re juggling lots of balls in the air, some made of glass and some made of rubber. Particularly during busy times like harvest it’s important we can focus on the glass ones and let the rubber balls bounce – they’ll be there to catch later.

Wishing those experiencing harvest every success – may your skies be clear, yields high and breakdowns a minimum.