Our Corny Harvest Day!

After worship yesterday Lucy and I traveled to the great state of Tennessee to help out on the farm a little. There was no rest for these Savage Girls. The Savage Mama put me and my sister Anna to work and Lucy got to run around and play with Leo! Lucy was excited to be back on the family farm because she got to run around and play to her little hearts content. For "the humans" the big tasks of the day were to help put up cream-style corn, pick blackberries & raspberries, and do water aerobics in the pool. Needless to say Lucy is one exhausted little dog and she had one tired mama.

I've been helping put up corn on the farm from the time I was old enough to help pull the shucks off the ears of corn, but I don't think we have ever taken any photos until today. Here is the process we used to put up our cream-style corn. It is REAL scientific and technical!

Step 1: Shuck the corn.

Step 2: Silk the corn.

Step 3: Cut the corn off the cob.

Step 4: Blanch the corn-style corn by bringing it to a boil in a large stockpot for about 10 minutes or until it thickens. Cool corn and then package in plastic freezer bags. (Sorry I didn't take photos of this step...the Savage Mama did this while Anna and I cleaned up the shucks outside!) 

The clean-up helpers & side show entertainment Leo & Lucy! 

If you need a great resource for freezing or canning check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Trust me...you name it and it is on this website...freeze, can, dehydrate, cure & smoke, pickle, ferment, etc. When in doubt look up whatever you are preserving because rules and recommendations might have changed since you first learned about food preservation.

On a side note we Savage Women today harvested corn, blackberries & raspberries and the harvest was plentiful and the food preservation was easy, but we ALL should also be mindful of another type of harvest and preservation method. The Bible speaks about how that what is sown on good soil will bear fruit and high yields in Matthew 13. With "good soil" meaning that the one who hears the word of the Gospel and understands it will have plenty and gain lots...an eternal home in heaven. Have you shared the Gospel lately with anyone? I am guilty...I need to do more of this! Here are my thoughts on this topic...

• Maybe we should share with our friends the simple message that if they seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness all these things will be added to them (Matthew 6:33). 
• "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. 
• "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" John 3:36. 
• In Acts chapter 2 three thousand souls were saved by obeying the gospel as they followed God's plan of salvation. They were "pricked in their hearts" by the gospel message according to Acts 2:37 and Peter told them to "repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of your sins, and ye shall receive that gift of the Holy Ghost" Acts 2:38. 

I challenge you to go help with the "harvest" and help "preserve" others so that we can all meet in heaven one day when we receive the gift of eternal life after we've followed the New Testament Plan of Salvation.  Here are a few others posts I've written about God's Plan...

• Spring Cleaning (April 9, 2013)
• 3 Things I Know for Sure (That You Should Too!) (July 6, 2013)