No, I’m not talking Taco Bell here. Unfortunately, or possibly fortunately, I haven’t eaten that since a bad run-in with a taco salad after the ACT exam Junior year of high school.
I’m talking harvest dining.
I’m talking making breakfast, lunch, dinner for the kids and myself and then dinner again for my loving, hardworking husband, the one who doesn’t think that Peanut M&Ms and Diet Coke make a good evening meal.
Sigh.
I wish I were more like my 97 year old grandma, who, until about last year, cooked herself silly during harvest, wrapping meals and sides and drinks with fresh ice in foil and drove them to the field. I wish I had the gumption. I wish I had the drive. I wish I had TIN FOIL! Joe is lucky if I wave at him as he comes into the drive, dropping off his load of grain or just getting a drink of water.
I have failed in this department of farm-wifery. Recently, this failure has slapped me dead in the face as I have read on Facebook status updates and seen pictures of cute little farm kids delivering hot meals to dads on the tailgate of a truck. I have sighed as I realized what I cooked that day might not reheat well, and cringed at the thought of frying up a hamburger or some bacon at nine o’clock, and then cringed at the thought that I am not excited about providing a meal for my husband.
I realize that this is indeed 2011, and this meal preparation/delivery may sound a bit June Cleaver-ish, but Joe appreciates a hot meal when he comes home. It is 2011, I realize this. The microwave has been invented, and cardboard pizzas are actually pretty good. However, shouldn’t I at least have something available for my hardworking husband when he comes home? Shouldn’t I know something that either warms up well or whips up easy when Joe is late coming home? Shouldn’t I be better at this, considering it’s my fourth harvest season?
Answer: No.
I’m terrible at this. I would throw the kid card out, because it’s easy and true, but that’s not the whole story. I am organized. I love to sort and schedule. However, I hate to organize meals. I know it’s better for my psyche and better for my budget to be more organized, but I can’t seem to get it together. If I’m not good at prepping for three meals a day, how am I supposed to be organized enough to prepare an extra meal at this time of the year. Isn’t popcorn a grain? Throw some peanut butter on crackers and call it a day, right?
Wrong.
However, I’m trying. I’m hoping that with the help of my mom (thank you for the meatloaf), the Pioneer Woman (have you tried her potato skins…they are AMAZING), I can overcoming this shortcoming as a farm wife. I’m hoping that when more than 50% of my kids can buckle themselves in their car seats, I will be more willing to set out at the hairy hour of 6:00, armed with a fresh meal for my guy.
But, for the time being, I emplore all you seasoned farm wives, wives of husbands who work late, or just people who know anything to make that is easy, please, please, please send your ideas my way!
My marriage and husband’s nutritional balance depends on it!