Behind the Scenes

Daily Note

Every day, a photograph, a poem. On Saturday, we took a drive along the lake as usual and headed toward Coulee City. But we had to stop and take photo and video of the amazing field of Timothy Hay, which is grown to feed cattle, horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. Some caterpillar like it too. [Source: Wikipedia] And, of course the cattle become the meat we eat.

Anyway, the view was amazing: a crew of rakers, a few balers, a few stackers cruised their way around the field over and over to rake, bale, and stack the hay for use or sale. There must have been twenty pieces of machinery and support vehicles. Round and round they drove, each in their own position, until soon the field was a few bales left for the last stacker.

I have always wondered, as I pick up the grocery items off the shelf, how many people work behind the scenes to bring this food to our stores, to our tables. I have stood and thought, “Thank you for this.” Have you?

Behind the scenes

I wonder when we pick it up—
that food we eat from grocery shelves:
Do we thank the rancher, farmer, worker,
planter, waterer, picker, harvester,
sorter, packager, deliverer
who have toiled in their way
behind the scenes
of our abundance?

Sheri Edwards
092022 265.365.22
Poetry/Photography

1300  days of posts in a row on Ask What Else