Harvest Home

A fruits and vegetables photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. This is a real photo postcard postmarked on the other side at: "Glenwood, Pa., Dec. 2, 1909." Addressed to: "Miss Sara Leggett, S.W. Cor. Peach & Media, West Philad." Message: "Dec. 2/09. Glad [that] kind Providence is allowing you to pass another Mile Stone on Life's Journey. M.M.L. Psalms 91.16. A picture of our Harvest Home." Bible verse cited in message (Psalms 91:16): "With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." Although the message on the back of this card is a birthday greeting, the front of it is an interesting "picture of our Harvest Home" that shows fruits and vegetables arranged around the altar at the front of a church (mouse over the image above for a close-up view ). "Harvest Home" was--and continues to be--a religious celebration that's typically held at Lutheran, Reformed, and other churches in Pennsylvania and elsewhere during the late summer or early fall. As seen here, one of the notable aspects of the observance is a display of tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkins, cornstalks, flowers, and other fruits, vegetables, and grains. For additional examples, see my Harvest Home album.

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard:

Mouse over the image above for close-up view of the fruits and vegetables that surround the pulpit in this Harvest Home church display. If "Day: 40" on the hymn board on the wall refers to the fortieth week of the year, then it's likely that this church was decorated like this for a Harvest Home service sometime in late September or early October.

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard:

A church Harvest Home display with a variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and cornstalks. The man in the picture is probably the pastor of the church.

A church Harvest Home display with jars containing recently harvested and canned fruits and vegetables. For similar photos, see my Harvest Home album.

Words on the bell-shaped decorations in the middle: "Harvest Home." Text on the wall at left and right: "O give thanks unto the Lord. Praise the great giver. God giveth the increase." Text at top: "Siehe Ich bin bei Euch alle Tage bis an der Welt Ende" [translation: "Behold I am with you all days, even to the end of the world," a Bible verse, Matthew 28:20]. A photo of a church Harvest Home display, location and date unknown. For more examples, see my Harvest Home album.

"Harvest Home Greetings. Methodist Church, Strasburg, Pa." Addressed on the other side to Mr. Roy D. Mowrer, Strasburg, Pa., and postmarked Iva, Pa., Oct. 20, 1909. Message: "The musical is to be held in the Hall. You know. A.B.D." For other real photo postcards of Harvest Home celebrations, see Harvest Home Display with Minister and Harvest Service, Lutheran Church, Strasburg, Pa., 1907 .

"Harvest Service, 1907. Lutheran Church, Strasburg, Pa." For other photos that show church altars decorated for a Harvest Service (also called Harvest Home), see Harvest Home Display with Minister and Harvest Home Greetings, Methodist Church, Strasburg, Pa., 1909 .

In this real photo postcard, a minister of a church (location and date unknown) stands in the midst of fruits and vegetables that decorate the altar in preparation for a Harvest Home service. "Harvest Home" is a religious celebration that's still held today at some Lutheran, Reformed, and other churches in Pennsylvania and elsewhere during the late summer or early fall. As seen here, the observance typically involves a display of tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkins, cornstalks, flowers, etc. For additional examples, see Harvest Service, Lutheran Church, Strasburg, Pa., 1907 , and Harvest Home Greetings, Methodist Church, Strasburg, Pa., 1909 . In this photo, the inscription at the bottom of the stained glass window on the right-hand side says, "Donated by Robert, Ella, & Sallie Wise." The signboard hanging on the wall on the left-hand side of the photo provides the following information about the church: Register - Attendance & Offering Number on the roll - 200 Attendance today - 114 Attendance a year ago today - 81 Offering today - 236 Offering a year ago today - 104