Walkin' Beans

This evening after supper I walked a field of soybeans to cut out weeds. It is a field of non-GMO soybeans being raised for a premium. We don't have to walk beanfields much anymore because of the modern herbicides that do a very good job taking care of the weeds. My thoughts went back to the "good old days" when we walked every field every year. Back in the 70's and 80's we used to hire all the Jr. High and High School kids from our church that were willing(or there parents made them). There weren't as many summer jobs available to teenagers then as there are now, so they were glad for the work. We'd start our crew of about 10 - 15 people at 8:00 sharp each morning and work til noon with a snack and water break in the middle. We didn't work afternoons because of the heat. It would take about 3 weeks in July to get all the fields weeded. We would walk thru mud, heavy dews that soaked clothes, heat, humidity, and drought. We used whatever tools worked best for the weeds we had to deal with; hoes, hooks, or hands. They wore boots, tennis shoes, barefeet, long pants, shorts, swimsuits.There was a lot of camaraderie, practical jokes, girls trying to get tans, guys trying to catch critters, and hard dirty work. I think we built a lot of character(at least my Dad told me that when I was growing up)! I used to hate to walk beans when I was a kid, but its funny how you change when it becomes your responsibility. I think we also convinced a lot of kids that college was not a bad option over being a laborer. We still talk about those days when I meet some of these now grown-up "kids" 20-30 years later. Good times and good memories.

I also thought about why we have weeds and hard work. Sin.

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.