October is a highlight of the year for many in the Midwest. We have already begun testing the moisture levels of the corn crops between the first several rows, and some farmers are starting the haul to their local co-ops. We continue working from before dawn until after dusk as combines move through the fields, kicking up dirt.

We have been celebrating the cooler weather for weeks now, hosting many gatherings with family and friends under the stars and moonlight. The farmhouse and the edge of the fields create a natural perimeter for the evening. We begin as the sun is setting behind the trees, lining up our trucks in the pastures. The first smell that lets us know fall is here is the scent of dry corn husks, tickling our noses. Next comes the laughter and the smell of barbecue and burgers cooking over the campfire.

As the sun sets and the sky lights up in gold, pink and yellow, which the dark sky slowly overtakes, appearing with one, two, three stars at a time. Before long, you find yourself looking up, trying to find the Big Dipper.

As we stroll deeper into the party, we grab our favorite refreshments and pile our plates high with food. Sometimes we enjoy s’mores, potato salad, beans and many, many desserts. It is the perfect time for our favorite cozy sweatshirts and blankets to take away the slight chill reminding us that another favorite season is soon approaching. Everyone sets up their lawn chairs and listens to classic American tunes drifting into the night.

No fall get-together is complete without a traditional hayride. With the straw poking through our clothing and scratching our legs, the familiar scent somehow turns us into imaginary barn cats, playing on top of the bales. As we bounce over the uneven earth in our rickety carts, we imagine what might jump out at us through the thick rows of corn stalks, perhaps a scarecrow or ghost! We travel through the maze, comparing the height of each row, which towers taller than any average-sized person can reach. The roots spring forth from the ground, reminding us of the hard work we put in during the spring and the preparation we made all season for the upcoming harvest.

But for now, we bask in the glow of bonfires and even hot-air balloons. Some dip caramel apples, others paint and carve pumpkins. The hot-air balloons glow to music like gigantic jack-o’-lanterns. Even though not every community has this type of event, for my family, it has become a tradition we look forward to every year.

Even our pets get in on the fun too. Mostly dogs, some horses, and this year, I brought my rabbit, Sir Henry, who enjoyed the fanfare too. I know this sounds silly, but this is the time of year when we all set aside our differences and experience the wind-down of the busy year we have had. For one evening, the work of the year can wait.

It is a simple tradition, and perhaps that is what makes it so special. There is something timeless about gathering beneath a bright harvest moon.

That is what October means to us here in the Midwest: a celebration of the harvest, the land, the farmers and locals, and the traditions that remind us of where we came from.

Indiana Sweet Corn Pudding

Ingredients

- 4 cups fresh sweet corn kernels, cut from about 6 ears of corn

- 1 cup whole milk

- 1 cup heavy cream

- 3 large eggs

- 3 tablespoons melted butter

- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

- 1 teaspoon salt

- ½ teaspoon black pepper

- ¼ teaspoon paprika, optional

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.

- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, melted butter, flour, sugar, salt, pepper and paprika.

- Stir in the sweet corn until everything is well combined.

- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

- Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center is set but still slightly soft.

- Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Tip: If fresh corn isn’t available, you can substitute about 4 cups of frozen corn, thawed and drained.