Outside of my work responsibilities, I also help coordinate the meals for our farm family during several big events each year. Wheat harvest is at the top of the priority list! On any given evening, I and my sisters-in-law may feed anywhere from 8-20 and our crew tries to take turns eating so that they are never completely shut down. This makes for a tricky situation in keeping food at correct temperatures.

K-State food scientist, Karen Blakeslee, recently shared some great tips for harvest meals and these can also be used for trips to the lake, a picnic at the park or a backyard barbecue.

• Clean. Blakeslee suggests packing wet washclothes with soap to clean dirty hands. “Another option is a spare soap bottle with a mix of water and soap,” she said. “Keep in mind that hand sanitizer is not effective on dirty hands. Wash them first, then apply hand sanitizer for best results.”
• Separate. Keep raw meat and poultry away from ready-to-eat-foods. Use a clean utensil for each dish. Use a clean plate when going for second helpings of food.
• Cook. Use a food thermometer to check for doneness. Cook all poultry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook burgers and sliders to an internal temperature of 160 F.
• Chill. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Put out food in batches.

She also notes that many foods can be prepared in advance and frozen for use later such as baked goods like bread, cookies, cupcakes, and more.

“After baking, cool these foods completely before packaging,” she said.

“Many casseroles, meat pies or pasta dishes can be frozen and baked from the freezer,” Blakeslee said. “Use aluminum foil containers or other containers made to go from the freezer to the oven with ease.”

Food aside, Blakeslee encourages families to make time to eat together during a break in the harvest.

“Set up a portable table and chairs to eat together, if possible,” she said. “That break from harvest activity is a great way to recharge and catch up with others before heading back out to the field.”

While we don’t completely shut down, we do try to eat while moving between fields or run with a short crew for a little while to give everyone a break. My car will carry a 6-foot folding table, several bag chairs, and a tote organized with plates, paper towels instead of napkins, silverware, hand wipes, cleaning wipes, and a box of trash bags.

Our crew are not big on dessert so we make sure that the cooler is packed with fresh fruit as a cool grab-and-go.

Harvest is one of my favorite times of year! Safety – food, mechanical, and on the road - are so important. Take a few minutes to pull off the road safely and watch the crews with those big machines run.

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!

Michelle Beran is a Family and Community Wellness Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other K-State Extension resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.