The Harvesters reap something with deeper roots than the crops filling the fields they tend.
Jill Connor / The CitizenThe Harvesters sing during Baseball Chapel at Falcon Park. The members are, from left, Doug Young and his wife, Janet, and Linda Eldred and her husband, Doug.
For almost 20 years, the singing quartet has brought a Christian message to churches in the central New York area with hymns, contemporary and Southern gospel selections. Until about a year ago, the group - comprised of farmers Doug (tenor) and Linda Eldred (soprano) and Doug (bass) and Janet Young (alto) - stuck to the stage of the Second Baptist Church in Auburn. All four were members of the church's choir formed into a group by the director to sing every few months.
When their children - nine between the two couples - came of age, the Eldreds and Youngs felt it might be time to pursue their oft-shared dream of purchasing an RV and performing more frequently. But it wasn't until they were sure of God's consent, they say, that they went forward with their plans. They saw that sign at last year's Baseball Chapel event, when they had agreed to spend the $1,000 raffle prize on a sound system should one of the four be picked the winner.
Linda won.
“It was a sign of the Lord telling us that this is what he wants us to do,” Janet said.
Any last uncertainties were washed away when the Harvesters selected all the equipment they felt they needed, particularly four microphones that would help the members' voices blend together in power. The tab was exactly $1,000.
“Doug and I said that it has to be of the Lord,” Linda said.
The Harvesters then transitioned to practicing once a week, a schedule cramped by both families' commitments to their farms. The Youngs co-manage a multi-family, 1,850-cow dairy farm with an additional 3,000 acres of crops in Fleming. The Eldreds own a 1,400-acre farm straddling Owasco and Skaneateles, where they grow oat, wheat and barley seed, as well as hay for shipment to horse racing tracks like Belmont. With these operations requiring both the Eldreds' and the Youngs' full-time attention, many practices take place when the rain forces the farmers off their fields.
But the Harvesters' name stems from more than just their lifestyles. Originally known as the Eldreds-Youngs Quartet, they picked their new name after too many mistaken references to either woman as married to the wrong Doug. They felt the Harvesters name - which was suggested by their choir director - also conveyed the spiritual side of the group.
“We hope we're planting seeds for the harvest of the Lord,” Linda said. “The fields are always ripe.”
Word of the Harvesters' heavier touring schedule spread fast, and the group began fielding several calls asking for them to perform.
“That was telling me that the Lord was opening doors for us,” Janet said.
The Harvesters began including nursing homes, other churches, outdoor events, picnics, radio shows and funerals into their itinerary at a rate of twice a week. Performing has taken them as far as Herkimer and Cortland, and they plan on spreading farther, Linda said.
“We want to be used by the Lord in a mighty way,” Doug Young said. “It's a privilege to be able to do it, to share that good news.”
Doug Eldred added, “We get to be involved in an evangelical-type ministry without having to preach to people.”
The group's voices will reach even farther once they release their first CD, which is in the final recording stages. They are considering titling the album “Singing God's Praises One Field at a Time.” The Eldreds and Youngs are also hopeful they'll add one or more of their children to the group in the future.
Before each performance, the group prays together. Between songs, they share stories from their own lives to build a connection to their audiences in hopes of communicating their message of faith
“We let people know that we're sinners saved by grace,” Doug Young said. “The Lord loves those listening and all who accept Christ as savior enjoy fellowship with him and life everlasting.”
And to end each set they perform, the Harvesters choose “Bow the Knee.” The song bears a special meaning to the two couples, who seek strength in God both as parents and as farmers.
“If you don't understand the purpose of God's plan, bow the knee,” Linda said. “That's our theme.”
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
When their children - nine between the two couples - came of age, the Eldreds and Youngs felt it might be time to pursue their oft-shared dream of purchasing an RV and performing more frequently. But it wasn't until they were sure of God's consent, they say, that they went forward with their plans. They saw that sign at last year's Baseball Chapel event, when they had agreed to spend the $1,000 raffle prize on a sound system should one of the four be picked the winner.
Linda won.
“It was a sign of the Lord telling us that this is what he wants us to do,” Janet said.
Any last uncertainties were washed away when the Harvesters selected all the equipment they felt they needed, particularly four microphones that would help the members' voices blend together in power. The tab was exactly $1,000.
“Doug and I said that it has to be of the Lord,” Linda said.
The Harvesters then transitioned to practicing once a week, a schedule cramped by both families' commitments to their farms. The Youngs co-manage a multi-family, 1,850-cow dairy farm with an additional 3,000 acres of crops in Fleming. The Eldreds own a 1,400-acre farm straddling Owasco and Skaneateles, where they grow oat, wheat and barley seed, as well as hay for shipment to horse racing tracks like Belmont. With these operations requiring both the Eldreds' and the Youngs' full-time attention, many practices take place when the rain forces the farmers off their fields.
But the Harvesters' name stems from more than just their lifestyles. Originally known as the Eldreds-Youngs Quartet, they picked their new name after too many mistaken references to either woman as married to the wrong Doug. They felt the Harvesters name - which was suggested by their choir director - also conveyed the spiritual side of the group.
“We hope we're planting seeds for the harvest of the Lord,” Linda said. “The fields are always ripe.”
Word of the Harvesters' heavier touring schedule spread fast, and the group began fielding several calls asking for them to perform.
“That was telling me that the Lord was opening doors for us,” Janet said.
The Harvesters began including nursing homes, other churches, outdoor events, picnics, radio shows and funerals into their itinerary at a rate of twice a week. Performing has taken them as far as Herkimer and Cortland, and they plan on spreading farther, Linda said.
“We want to be used by the Lord in a mighty way,” Doug Young said. “It's a privilege to be able to do it, to share that good news.”
Doug Eldred added, “We get to be involved in an evangelical-type ministry without having to preach to people.”
The group's voices will reach even farther once they release their first CD, which is in the final recording stages. They are considering titling the album “Singing God's Praises One Field at a Time.” The Eldreds and Youngs are also hopeful they'll add one or more of their children to the group in the future.
Before each performance, the group prays together. Between songs, they share stories from their own lives to build a connection to their audiences in hopes of communicating their message of faith
“We let people know that we're sinners saved by grace,” Doug Young said. “The Lord loves those listening and all who accept Christ as savior enjoy fellowship with him and life everlasting.”
And to end each set they perform, the Harvesters choose “Bow the Knee.” The song bears a special meaning to the two couples, who seek strength in God both as parents and as farmers.
“If you don't understand the purpose of God's plan, bow the knee,” Linda said. “That's our theme.”
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
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