Quiet

I've always been struck by how quiet it is after harvest. It's not really that I consciously notice the hustle-and-bustle noise of harvest, but after 4 + months of the constant background din of tractors running, ladders clanging, pickers talking, yelling, laughing (and even sometimes singing),  trucks, forklifts, clanking bin trailers, staple guns, worker transport buses, air brakes, and other equipment noises - the silence when it's all over is palpable.

Like I said, I don't particularly notice the noise when it's there - but I sure do notice the quiet and solitude when it's over. I'm blessed to get to work in the orchards all year round, but I especially enjoy the time shortly after harvest is over in a block. Peaceful, quiet, finally cool and damp, with a sense of accomplishment before turning the page.