29 Jul Laura: Crew—an extension of family

Montana—Ryan has large, great family. Mine is a lot smaller, and I may be biased, but I think they are wonderful people as well. We love getting together with them whenever possible. With that information, you may think we have all the family we need. However, even though my heart is full, that doesn’t mean its maxed out. There’s always room for more! And that’s what often happens with the crew. They can become an extension of family.

It’s easy to see how that can happen. We live in close proximity day in and day out, sometimes share meals, carpool, occasionally get fussy and annoyed with one another, joke around and laugh and share a lot of unique experiences that are hard to explain unless you were there. We enjoy hearing from crew members, even years after they were members of the team. It’s a joy to get the occasional visit. I also enjoy seeing crew members carry their friendships on with each other after finishing their seasons. Relationships can make the world a brighter place and its been awesome to get to know so many people from across Kansas, the U.S., and the world.

Part of the team was able to visit Devil’s Tower in Wyoming on their way to Montana. (Courtesy photo.)

Can you see it? The crew tries to view the wooden ladder near the top of the tower.

S’more masters. Little Man and Lady A helped prepare s’mores for the crew at a recent braais, which is a South African word for barbecues. We’ve enjoyed several opportunities for evening get-togethers this summer.

Grill master, Stevie, preparing a little “taster” to share with the group.

Cheesy potatoes pair well with any gathering, right?!

When the local supermarket runs a steak special that makes them cheaper than ground meat, you get to have it several nights in a row! Wahoo! What a treat!

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc., Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, Agri-Pro, Gleaner, BASF, and High Plains Journal. Laura can be reached at laura@allaboardharvest.com.