Hale's Harvest

08/05/2026

Walking is of the simplest things you can do for your health every week.

It doesn’t have to be long or intense. Ten or fifteen minutes around the yard, down the road, or through a quiet spot is enough. Moving your body like this helps circulation, eases stiffness, clears your head, and gently lifts your mood. It also gives your eyes a break from screens and lets your nervous system settle.

The fresh air and changing scenery do more than you might think. Even a slow stroll can lower stress, steady your energy, and help you sleep better later. You’re not training for anything—you’re just giving your body the movement it was made for.

If the heat is still high, go early or later in the day. Bring water. Leave the phone in your pocket most of the time. Notice what’s around you—the sky, the trees, the sounds. That quiet attention is part of the benefit.

You don’t need special shoes or a perfect plan. Just step outside and move a little. Your body will thank you with clearer thinking, better rest, and a lighter feeling overall.

08/04/2026

Okra thrives in the hottest part of summer, which makes August its sweet spot in Missouri gardens. This Southern staple loves heat and humidity, producing tender pods almost daily once it gets going.

What many people don’t realize is that okra is actually related to hibiscus and cotton. The flowers are beautiful soft yellow with a deep red center, and the pods grow so fast you can almost watch them lengthen overnight.

Pick them when they’re young and tender (about 3–4 inches long) for the best flavor and least “slime.” Bigger pods get tough and fibrous fast. Fresh okra is delicious fried, roasted, stewed, or even grilled.

It’s also packed with fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. A true heat-loving crop that keeps giving through the long, hot days of late summer.

08/03/2026

Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard a sermon at church about s*x. I’d honestly love to know if you have ⬇️

I don’t exactly have a lot of church time under my belt over the years but when I have been, I don’t recall even a hint towards it, ever. Until yesterday. Our church is doing a series called “You Asked For It” where they literally asked everyone what they wanted to hear a sermon on and the first one to kick it off was about Gods Plan for S*x. It was a wonderful sermon and I hope I can do a good job paraphrasing here. Nonetheless, I encourage you to go check out the full sermon on YouTube.

I suppose it’s really straightforward and not complicated. God desires s*x to be between a husband and wife and for them to have a lot of it and not withhold it from each other except for certain situations. Pretty easy right? But so many of us get it terribly wrong. I’d say this is probably one of Satans biggest playgrounds and where he’s excelled at messing it all up. And the saddest part is, in some folks situation, it’s not even by their own choice.

God gave us the gift of s*x for the obvious reason of filling the earth. That was his first command to man. I think we got that part down pat even if we’re doing it a little wrong sometimes. Honestly, in my life and the people I know, I’m so thankful for the sin of s*x outside marriage because there would be so many wonderful people missing from this world if everyone stuck tightly to s*x only in marriage. But another reason he gave it to us was for a husband and wife to be able to create a beautiful and strong emotional bond. A place that you can be completely vulnerable with someone and they’re going to love you anyway. That’s what a marriage should be in all areas.

And that also reflects the relationship that Jesus wants to have with you. He wants us to be vulnerable with Him, He knows us to our deepest depths, He knows everything we don’t know about ourselves, He knows it all. And the greatest part; He LOVES us anyway. And He always will.

I left out some other good parts of the sermon; I couldn’t quite articulate it myself without copying word for word. So just hop on over and watch the whole thing yourself.

This week we begin a new series called You Asked for It, where your...

07/29/2026

The sun has gotten a bad reputation. We’re told to fear it, hide from it, and cover every inch—but our bodies were made to need it.

Sunlight is the main way we make vitamin D, which supports strong bones, a healthy immune system, steady mood, and better energy. Without enough, a lot of us feel run-down, foggy, or just “off.” A little time in the sun each day helps fill that gap in a way pills alone can’t fully match.

There’s more. Morning sunlight hitting your eyes (without sunglasses) helps set your body’s internal clock. It signals the right hormones to wake up, lifts mood, and later helps you sleep better at night. Those early rays work through special cells in your eyes that aren’t about vision—they’re about timing and balance.

You don’t need hours of baking. Ten to twenty minutes of morning light on your face and arms is often enough for many people. Go outside early, skip the shades for that short window if you can, then use common sense the rest of the day—shade, a hat, or light clothing when the sun is high and strong.

The goal isn’t zero sun or all-day exposure. It’s enough of the real thing to support your body the way it was designed. Our fear of the sun has gotten a little out of hand, and a balanced approach feels better than constant avoidance.

This week, step outside for a few minutes of morning light and notice how you feel. Your body knows what to do with it.

07/28/2026

Peaches started out thousands of years ago in the mountains of China. They traveled the Silk Road, were prized in Persia (which is why the Latin name means “Persian apple”), and eventually made their way to the Americas with Spanish explorers.

What most people don’t realize is that the fuzzy skin actually helps protect the fruit from pests and sunburn while it’s ripening on the tree. Underneath that soft coat is a juicy, fragrant fruit that comes in two main types: freestone (the pit pulls away easily) and clingstone (the flesh holds tight to the pit).

Missouri summers are perfect for peaches. When they’re left to ripen fully on the tree, the natural sugars develop into that classic sweet, floral flavor you just can’t get from store-bought ones that were picked early for shipping.

They’re also packed with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants that support healthy skin and digestion. Fresh-picked and still warm from the sun, a ripe peach is pure summer in every bite.

If you’ve never visited Bader’s and got some of their peaches, you must! It is yet another place to support local business which is never a bad thing!

07/22/2026

Water does so much more for us than just quenching thirst.

Drinking plenty of it keeps everything running smooth—energy steady, skin clearer, digestion easier, and your mind sharper. It carries nutrients where they need to go and helps flush what you don’t. When you’re even a little dehydrated, you feel it in fatigue, headaches, and crankiness.

But the real magic happens when you get around water and in it. A walk by a river or lake calms your nervous system in minutes. The sound, the sight, the fresh air all lower stress and lift mood naturally. Playing in it—swimming, splashing with the kids, wading in a creek, or even sitting with your feet in a cold stream—cools you down on hot days, gives your muscles gentle movement, and brings that deep refreshed feeling you can’t get from a chair.

You don’t need a fancy trip. A local pond, backyard sprinkler, or even a long shower can work wonders. Let the kids run through the hose or float in an inflatable pool. The laughter and cool water do good things for everyone.

This week, make time for water in whatever way feels easy. Drink an extra glass or two, and find a spot to be near it or play in it. Your body and mind will thank you with better rest, brighter days, and that calm that sticks around.

Simple water time is powerful medicine. Go enjoy it.

07/21/2026

Sweet corn is hitting its prime right now in local fields and gardens. It’s one of those crops that tastes dramatically better when picked fresh and eaten the same day — the sugars start turning to starch almost as soon as it’s harvested.

Corn actually originated in Mexico thousands of years ago from a wild grass called teosinte. Early farmers patiently selected the best plants over generations, turning tiny ears with a few hard kernels into the plump, sweet cobs we grow today.

Here’s a fun farm fact: each kernel on the ear has its own silk strand connecting it to the tip of the husk. That’s why you sometimes see “missing” kernels — a silk didn’t get pollinated. Bees and wind do most of the work, which is why planting in blocks (not single rows) gives you fuller ears.

Nothing beats corn picked that morning, boiled or grilled quickly, and slathered with a little butter. It’s pure summer on the plate — one of those simple rewards that makes the hot days worthwhile.

07/20/2026

Last night after we dropped our son off at VBS we went and had some ice cream. When we got there, there was a group of probably 10+ high school kids in front of us. I’m a people watcher so I just watched while we waited. I began to notice they all had some sort of faith directed shirt on; I thought maybe they’d all just got done with their vbs for the evening or something and were just hanging out. They all get their ice cream and sit down together and at this point we had ordered ours and had sat down at the opposite end of the bench from them to wait. I hadn’t planned on really paying much attention to them anymore til I over heard scripture and that caught my attention. I glanced over and they all had a Bible out, whether in physical form or on their phone. I thought oh my goodness, this is wonderful. I didn’t just stare the rest of the night but I did eaves drop and glance over and what they were doing was absolutely beautiful. They took turns reading scripture throughout the evening and discussing it. The most beautiful thing to me though was at one point in the middle of their conversations they all held hands and prayed together. And not just one person and then they were done. I’d guess about 3-4 of them took turns saying a prayer and then they carried on with their studies.

It was so beautiful and so encouraging to see youth studying the word of God in public. Matthew 18:20 says “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them” I know those kids are all going far in life just based on the simple fact of what they were doing last night. I pray that others see them and it inspires them or they reach out and ask them questions about their faith. It really gave me some more hope in the future of the world to know that the youth are in the word of God.

07/16/2026

I don’t know if anyone has ever heard of or watched Peter Santenello on YouTube but you’re missing out if you haven’t. This guy is a true, boots on the ground journalist. He goes into the world and captures the real thing, nothing the media would ever dare show. He will talk to anyone and everyone and has such a great way of pulling the stories out of people. This is just one of his Arkansas series videos, the Bentonville one is great too. They’re all great and show you a side of places we had no idea existed. Ditch the news and watch him. I promise you’ll be better off.

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