Editor’s note: Joy McClain’s column, Joy’s Reflections, returns in the October issue of Indiana Prairie Farmer. Here are her thoughts on restarting this popular column.

It’s good to be back at the rodeo again. Though I hadn’t dismounted from the writing saddle, it’s like being in the llama arena when you’re a horse girl. So, let’s each pull up a chair and catch up.

I saw you in the field during planting and dodging impatient drivers as you maneuvered to fields for spraying. You were at the fair enjoying stock shows and catching up with old friends.

I caught you sharing garden abundance with neighbors. You extended time and talent to worthy organizations as you provided for children and grandchildren. I saw you checking fields and potential yields. And now you’re kicking up dust, pulling long hours in combines and grain trucks.

I overheard as you spoke of the uncertainty of this crazy world. You kept moving forward during this strange, tumultuous and eventful time.

Joy mingled with deep grief as my dear mother-in-law waltzed into heaven’s gates with knowledge and gratitude for the great-grandson on his way. He bounced in at almost 10 pounds a week before we welcomed a new son-in-law into the family. We settled into our new home while we experienced the most disastrous garden in 36 years. It consisted mostly of tomatoes and lots of turnips. There was also sweet corn, but of course, we raise that for racoons and coyotes.

Last winter, with the help of our oldest son and a son-in-law, we processed two feeder pigs. Up to my elbows in hog intestines, a new level of respect arose for my ancestors. Determined to make the most of our “experience,” I rendered fat, which is kept in a Mason jar in the fridge and reserved for the most delicate pies and pastries. It was a tremendous amount of work but left us feeling proud of our accomplishment. You know what they say: Nothing brings a family together like butchering between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

The ‘force’ strikes back

There were some victories, too. After the senseless slaughtering of over 40 hens, Red the rooster and 30 chicks, the vile mink was introduced to the barrel of my beloved’s shotgun. The skunk that had taken up residence underneath our house was evicted, along with a ginormous spider I found in our bedroom. We’re still working on the groundhog population that decided the wonderful outhouse at our ministry site would make for great forage. They literally ate even the toilet seats.

Six of our eight grandchildren showed at a couple of peewee shows — ages 8 down to 3. It was chaos. It was exhausting, and it was one of the best times. We were able to get back to our annual camping/Holiday World outing where my beloved and I spend our time holding bags, babies, sticky hands and melting ice cream cones.

Three of the older grandkids spent summer days dragging goats and sheep around under the apple trees, riding the pony bareback and being cautiously curious of the beehive we added this summer. Between rodent population control and grandkids, I worked on another book project, or said I was when I was really taking a nap.

Above all, it is good to be back here each month with my people.

McClain writes from Greenwood, Ind.