The Law of the Harvest
QUOTE
Robert Louis Stevenson once said…
“Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
(Scottish novelist and essayist)
CONCEPT
The Law of the Harvest
The Law of the Harvest is a principle that illustrates the idea that the results we achieve are directly proportional to the effort we invest.
Much like a farmer who must diligently plant seeds, nurture them, and patiently wait for the crops to grow before reaping the harvest, in life, our actions and choices determine the outcomes we experience.
This concept emphasizes that there are no shortcuts to success; consistent effort, patience, and perseverance are essential to achieve our goals.
STORY
Don’t Squander … Squanto?
When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in December 1620, they were unprepared for the harsh New England winter.
Of the 102 settlers who embarked on the Mayflower, nearly half perished during those brutal months from cold, scurvy, and malnutrition. Survival seemed uncertain for the remaining colonists, who faced dwindling supplies and lacked knowledge of the new land.
Desperate and weakened, the Pilgrims' fortune began to change in March 1621 when they encountered Squanto, a member of the Patuxet tribe.
Squanto had a remarkable story: he had been kidnapped by English explorers years prior, sold into slavery in Spain, escaped to England, and eventually returned to his homeland, only to find his tribe decimated by disease. Fluent in English and familiar with European customs, Squanto became an indispensable ally to the Pilgrims.
He taught them critical survival skills: how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, fish in the rivers, and identify edible plants. Most importantly, he showed them the method of planting corn by burying seeds with fish as fertilizer to enrich the soil—a technique that dramatically improved their crop yields.
That autumn, the Pilgrims reaped a bountiful harvest of corn, beans, squash, and other crops. For the first time since their arrival, they had sufficient food to sustain them through the coming winter. In gratitude for the abundant harvest and the assistance they received, Governor William Bradford organized a feast and invited their Wampanoag allies, including Chief Massasoit.
Over the course of three days, the 53 surviving Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag guests shared venison, wild fowl, fish, and the produce of their labor.
This gathering, filled with fellowship and gratitude, is now remembered as the First Thanksgiving.
The drama of this transformation—from the brink of extinction to a thriving community—highlights the essence of the Law of the Harvest. The Pilgrims' success was not a mere stroke of luck but the result of hard work, adaptability, and the willingness to learn from others.