09/14/2025
Long Post Warning
Peanut Harvest 25 is underway! As Mama’s health declined, Daddy, without reservation, made the decision to rent our farm so that he could devote his time to being available for her. Initially, we had a renter from across the county line but for the past 20+ years, my cousin, Robert Alford, has been the operator. Daddy loved having Robert on the farm… as a matter of fact, Robert grew up next door to us on his family’s homestead which is now a part of our farm… to say he cares for the property like his own is an understatement.
Our farm, like 85% of the cropland in Jackson County is non-irrigated making it a “dryland” farm. Every spring during planting season, I begin praying for the harvest. I don’t take a bottle of anointing oil with me, but I drive by the end of every row and ask the good Lord to bless the labor of Robert and Cody’s (Robert’s son and right-hand man) toil with a good crop. This year stages of the growing season were VERY DRY! Though I would ride through the farm and plead with the good Lord for a good rain, the peanuts spent many days without a good drink of water. As the days before harvest came, the late August and September temps remained high and the peanut vines began to yield to the intense heat.
The yield and grade of Robert’s crop has no bearing on our bottom line… but it’s our farm… the farm Mama and Daddy raised my sister and me on and no matter who farms it, I’ll always want them to do good… and since “the farmer” is my cousin…it really is “all in the family” and I surely want him to do good!
To tell the truth, I kinda dreaded the day the inverter would show up to the field… as paralyzing as the unknown can be, on rare occasions, the known is worse…but the day of reckoning was here. And as the peanuts rolled over that old KMC 6 row shaker and the dust settled, what I saw was way better than what I expected! And it was at that time I was sharply reminded of the faithfulness of God… and the miracles recorded in His word…like when a crowd had gathered and Jesus was made aware there was no food…save that of a little boy who had brought a few fish and some bread… the hour was late and His disciples said send them to town to eat but Jesus said bring me what you have … and after His blessing, the people were fed and there was more than enough! Or like the Wedding at Cana where they ran out of wine and Jesus turned water into wine that was better than what had already been served…. or like Mary and Martha who were upset with Jesus because He was 4 days late… and their brother, Lazarous, had died and was already in graveclothes and placed in a tomb. But with just 3 words from Jesus, “Lazarous, come forth!”, Lazarous came forth!
My whole point to this rambling is if God can feed 5000 with a few loaves of bread and have leftovers, and if He can turn water into wine thats better that the first wine… and if He can raise Lazarous from the dead after 4 days, I might think the rain on Robert’s peanut crop was too late, but until those peanuts go across the scale and their grade is recorded, there is still time for the good Lord to work!
The Good Book admonishes us to avoid planting on fallow ground… Robert tilled the soil… and fertilzed it… then he intentionally and routinely cultivated the crop he had planted as the scripture commands…now according to the Word, the increase is in God’s hands all the way and in all things, I will trust Him
Let it be, Dear Lord, Let it be… for every farmer!
Phyllis T. Daniels
