[hoggie]

Is it wrong to glean? (Bear with me in my explanation of this question - I am very tired and am pulling an all-nighter to get some stuff finished by tomorrow and am just taking a short break).

I have just had my first field of hay cut - I got about half of what I expected from it because it is so late being done - and there is some stuff that the baler missed. I was going to take a couple of hay forks up there and collect that hay loose. There is probably about 2 weeks of hay on the ground - a very precious commodity this year!!

From the dim and distant depths of my memory I seem to recall something about the gleanings being left on the field? Can anyone offer any advice on this please?

hoggie

 

[AngieM2]

hoggie - I think it Biblical times there was some left for the poor. But if that is your hay field and your hay and you need it, I'd go get it. You don't owe it to others.

Just my opinion, and I'm sure you'll get many others.

Angie

 

[RockyGlen]

The first thing that came to my mind was Ruth and Boaz. Ruth was gleaning to feed herself and Naomi, Boaz saw and told his workers to leave some on purpose for her. Like Angie said, I think it was a charity thing. In this modern age of welfare and food stamps, I doubt anyone needs charity left in the fields. I would go out with a clear conscience and glean my own fields - its good stewardship!

 

[nodak3]

Besides which, we live under grace and not law. Really, paying your taxes is equivalent of leaving your gleanings. Don't waste the hay. If you still have unease, give a love offering to cover it.

 

[gleanerl]

any critters, deer, elk, etc. , will get their gleanings from your haystacks/bales.. you're already donating.
go pick up the loose stuff, otherwise it'll just rot in the field

 

[Cheryl in SD]

Well, if it is custom in your area for those in need to glean in the field and the hay will be used to help those who may not be able to feed their animals without it, then you may leave it for them. But since it is highly improbable that people are going to come get it, and it will be left to rot in the field, I would consider it wrong & wasteful of what God has provided to leaveit in the field.

We give of glean differently. If I find a really good deal on food stuff and we have more perishable than we can use at a good price, then we give it to those less fortuenate than ourselves. I have often thought that if each person would spend just 10% of whatever they spend at the store for sale items or foods that are necessary & then gave it to others with less than themselves, we could easily end hunger on this planet.

If you know of someone who can use that hay, and desire to let them have it, you could call and offer it to them. But don't be surprised if they turn it down unless you are willing to also do the work for them.

 

[Karen]

Leviticus 19:9, Leviticus 23:22, & Deuteronomy 24:19 speaks of not gleaning the field in the corners, rather leaving it for the poor.

Remember there was no welfare at that time; as well as no one to care for widows and children. Gleaning a field kept them from starvation. It was kind of their welfare system during that time. Today, however, it's almost unheard of (as well as an insurance risk) to allow gleaners. :Bawling:

Hay on the other hand would not be a gleaners crop. A gleaners crop would be one in which provided food either by eating it as is, or making food from it (such as wheat/barley/etc. for bread).

My thoughts are that we are to be good stewards of what God has provided for us. If your field were to go ungleaned, then you would not be a good steward to just let it lie in waste; especially when you need what is lying there.

Harvesting what is left would not only be acceptable to God, but even more, would just be a good steward of the crop He did provide.

 

[Laura]

I agree with RockyGlen, with welfare and food stamps, nobody actually wants to work to feed their families. It's your hay, you need it, rake it up and use it.

 

[hoggie]

Thank you. It sounds as though I don't have anything to worry about there. I will make a loose stack to use early and save the bales for later.

Can anyone explain the "stewardship" bit to me please. I sort of get the idea but am never sure where that is more important and where looking after other people is more important. Or don't they cross and have I got myself muddled up - did I mention it's late LOL

hoggie

 

[blue8ewe]

Is it wrong to glean? (Bear with me in my explanation of this question - I am very tired and am pulling an all-nighter to get some stuff finished by tomorrow and am just taking a short break).

I have just had my first field of hay cut - I got about half of what I expected from it because it is so late being done - and there is some stuff that the baler missed. I was going to take a couple of hay forks up there and collect that hay loose. There is probably about 2 weeks of hay on the ground - a very precious commodity this year!!

From the dim and distant depths of my memory I seem to recall something about the gleanings being left on the field? Can anyone offer any advice on this please?

hoggie

We glean. We are invited by the owners of the fields/orchards.
Gleaning is not wrong or right. I think maybe you are wanting to know if it would be ok to take the stuff left.
I personally would just ask. I cant imagine the farmer turning you down. And you will have a clear conscience. If the field is yours and you were just letting them use it to plant the hey then it is yours. Enjoy.
By the way, you must realy have a good heart.

 

[TSYORK]

The first thing I thought of after reading your post was the story of Ruth. Boaz, the kinsman's redeemer instructed his servants to leave "handfuls of purpose" in the field for Ruth to glean for her and Naomi. This was a gesture of charity and in hopes of willing Ruth, which he did.

Unless Ruth is gleaning your fields hungry I'd suggest going and picking up the hay.

Thanks,

 

[FalconDance]

"Waste not, want not"

Common sense? :shrug:

 

[RockyGlen]

Can anyone explain the "stewardship" bit to me please. I sort of get the idea but am never sure where that is more important and where looking after other people is more important. Or don't they cross and have I got myself muddled up - did I mention it's late LOL

hoggie

My understanding is that stewardship means using what God has blessed you with to its fullest, not wasting or squandering. Using your field as an example, if you know of a family that needs that hay, offer it to them, or fence it in for your animals to graze, or gather it up to use. Just don't let it waste.

I think stewardship and charity go hand in hand, to an extent. I have a relative who is so stingy - he has tons of stuff rotting behind his barn, and periodically he lists it all for sale at an exorbitant price, which he can not get. When you suggest he lower the price, he says "I'd rather let it rot than just give it away." That is poor stewardship. He has some good stuff back there, that many could use, but it is just rotting away for his love of money.

Another example - we plant a HUGE garden. After we have canned all we need for the winter, we sell the excess. Anything that does not sell and I can't can due to time or whatever, COULD go straight to the chickens or pigs, but first we offer it to people we know who need it. If no one wants it (I could not give away all the extra kohlrabi this year - apparently it is too exotic), then we feed it to the animals. But we never let anything go to waste, if we can help it.

Here in Wyoming I used to see this bumpersticker: God, if you'll send another boom we promise not to waste it! Now we are in another boom and it is being squandered again.

 

[Ruby]

We glean. We are invited by the owners of the fields/orchards.
Gleaning is not wrong or right. I think maybe you are wanting to know if it would be ok to take the stuff left.
I personally would just ask. I cant imagine the farmer turning you down. And you will have a clear conscience. If the field is yours and you were just letting them use it to plant the hey then it is yours. Enjoy.
By the way, you must realy have a good heart.

She is talking about her OWN field. Not another farmer.

 

[MarleneS]

In this modern age of welfare and food stamps, I doubt anyone needs charity left in the fields.

I have no doubt that in your mind you did not mean for that to be an uncharitible remark. And I think if you re-read your post you will notice that that one sentence isn't even needed to make your point.

Hugs,
Marlene

After reading the rest of the post RockyGlen is hardly alone Sorry I singled your out, prior to completing the thread up to this point.

 

[blue8ewe]

She is talking about her OWN field. Not another farmer.

And I covered that.

 

[hoggie]

Thank you all for the answers. I never knew that the gleanings were meant for the poor - just vaguely remembered that they were supposed to be left. If I am honest I am probably the poorest person I know so I guess there is nothing wrong with me picking it all up. Around here I don't think I have ever seen anyone picking up in anyone else's field - may be I'll go and get the gleanings from the other hay fields as well LOL

We went and did some picking up today and I reckon we got a couple of weeks' worth of hay from it and there is still more we could go and get tomorrow.

Rocky Glen - thank you for explaining the stewardship - I have SO much to learn

hoggie

 

[Westwood]

I'd certainly have a talk with the hay crew. I used to mow for a crew when I was a kid. If I got a crawdad hole stuck between the guards I'd knock the mud out, back up, ease the sickle bar in and mow out that strip. Mowed out the turns too. The woman on the rake made sure she got everything possible into windrows too. If a bale broke or there were leavings, we'd gather it all up on a pickup and feed the baler. When we were finished with a field it looked like a smooth cut grass carpet. Maybe we were obsessive and maybe times have changed, but we had to turn business away we had so many customers.

 

[Scrounger]

Besides which, we live under grace and not law. Really, paying your taxes is equivalent of leaving your gleanings. Don't waste the hay. If you still have unease, give a love offering to cover it.

Even though we are under Grace, it doesn't exempt us from following the law.
But, that is a topic for another thread.........