IN THE SEASON of autumn, farm memories draw me back to the land.
To follow country gravel roads
and county highways
past sweeping fields of corn
harvested,
A vintage Gleaner combine harvests a cornfield along LeSueur County Road 13 near Lake Jefferson.
under harvest
Partially harvested…
and unharvested.
Roads lead me by farm sites,
aged stately barns
Near historic Marysburg in LeSueur County.
and mammoth bins awaiting the yield.
Following a tractor pulling a 1970s era gravity box along LeSueur County Road 13.
I observe, too, farmers creeping tractors trailing wagons,
zipping along rural roadways
Visiting at the intersection of LeSueur County roads 13 and 16.
and stalled in conversation at a rural intersection.
Cattle graze along 241st Avenue, just off LeSueur County Road 13.
I scan the landscape with the eyes of someone who misses the farm,
A harvested field glistens with puddled rainwater and mud. Too much rain has slowed the harvest for farmers in southern Minnesota. They will be working long days and nights to catch up and get the crop in before the snow flies.
who remembers the hurry of her farmer father,
Enjoying a beautiful autumn Sunday afternoon along Waseca County Road 22.
who follows country roads in the season of autumn.
FYI: I shot these images in Rice, LeSueur and Waseca counties during a Sunday afternoon, October 22, drive with my husband.
Check back for more photos from that drive.
© Copyright 2017 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I do miss harvest time in the north. Harvest is different here – different crops and equipment – cotton and peanuts mostly. Lovely autumn images here, Audrey.
Thank you, Lori. I know you get it, this missing of the land in the spring and the fall.
Lovely Audrey. Makes me miss rural living!
There are days, aren’t there. I long most for the farm in the spring and fall, planting and harvest.
I was in the Twin Cities area two weeks ago but did not get to see much of the farm land. Your post brought back my growing up days on a Owatonna area farm! I enjoyed the stages of harvesting — work that takes time and the cooperation of the weather and the machines. Beautiful post.
Thank you. Oh, shoot, I wish you could have toured the countryside. But glad you got back to Minnesota.
My favorite time of the year in Farming Country! Thanks so much for the pictures. I enjoyed them while working at my desk this morning but these were much more impressive than the work I was doing……so I took a break, got some coffee and reminisced about bygone days…….
Reminisce away, Don. Glad I could bring you back to your years of growing up in rural Minnesota.
It was 16 years ago when I had to leave the farm and move to the ‘burbs. When I first moved to Lakeville, I was surrounded by farm fields. But, unfortunately they all too quickly filled in with housing and strip malls. Thank you for the trip I wish I could find time to make myself.
Sheila, I hope you find time soon to reconnect with your rural roots via a drive in the country.
Thanks for sharing… I love to go for drives in the country too, especially this time of year. Just going done 35W has had nice color.
So glad you take the time, too, to drive in the country. I’m not surprised.
Harvest is upon us without a doubt.
With some dry days this week, the farmers are busy.
I love the smell of the harvest, it’s was in the air as we traveled home from the cabin yesterday. The other thing that I love about this time of year is the Combines working in the fields at night….I could watch for hours. Lucky I wasn’t driving, I’m sure I would have drove off the road 🙂
The sights and sounds and smells of harvest take me back to the farm…to all those Octobers of bringing in the crops.
—My favorite part?
THE COWS!! Fascinating. xx
Oh, you can only imagine how this grew-up-on-a-dairy-farm girl LOVED those cows, too.
I love it when you share pictures of farms! It reminds me of home
Thank you. I expect, like me, you especially miss home during harvest and spring planting.