By Kyatalin Baker

Every winter, around January or February, it was a Baker family tradition to harvest our meat for the year. From a very young age, I can remember friends of my parents coming to our house for a weekend full of what I would consider fun.

Many different families would purchase a hog and bring it to our house, since my dad had knowledge and the facilities to prepare the meat for our freezers. My family would keep three for us and work a long weekend to ensure it went in the freezer at a reasonable time. Friends would bring cookies and snacks. My mom would make a delicious meal. And my dad would let us try what he was doing so we could experience it for ourselves. My dad would always start the weekend with a prayer, which was something that I never understood the full meaning of until I learned later in life.

An exciting day

Fast forward to my sophomore year in high school, and it was opening weekend for youth hunters. I was jealous that my older brother, Levi, had the opportunity to put a mount up on the wall. I wanted a turn.

Levi volunteered to take me out to the deer stand that our dad had built for us. I was cold, nervous and bored. It was my first time hunting, and I had high hopes of getting a deer.

After two hours of sitting up in the stand, a doe walked past us. My arms started shaking, my breath became heavy, and all thoughts left my mind. While I stood up to take aim, Levi was coaching my every move as I lined the sights to the deer. It was a direct hit.

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As I lowered my weapon, I looked from the deer to my brother. I had the biggest cheerleader beside me as we quietly celebrated together. Levi and I climbed down the deer stand and approached the deer. I grabbed my knife out of my pocket to start the harvesting process right there, but Levi stopped my hand from proceeding.

Learning to be thankful

“Dad taught me that before harvesting one of God’s creatures, we pray for it,” Levi said. “We thank the creator for the food he has provided us.”

My brother and I knelt beside the doe, placed our hands on it and prayed in thankfulness. After calling my dad to bring the tractor down for some help, he asked me how I felt after getting my first deer. All I could say was “thankful.”

Agriculture is a gift and a blessing. We must be thankful for our harvest, whether it’s crops, livestock or wild game. Having a thankful heart when reaping the harvest is important, just as we pray when we sow the seeds in hope that our crop will prosper.

Baker is a 2024-25 Indiana FFA state officer. She writes from Trafalgar, Ind.

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