"Bringing in the sheaves....

What we think of as the first Thanksgiving - click
www.wikipedia.org photo

....bringing in the sheaves; we shall come rejoicing bringing in the sheaves...".  I still remember just a little bit of that hymn or song; it was sung during the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and of course, at the Grange.
  Well you ask, what the heck is a sheave.  Well, I reply it's a bundle or grain (almost always cereal grant) such as winter wheat or rye.  A shock is 12 bundles of grant, or 18 bundles or winter wheat or rye.  One University, Wichita State, has teams called the "Shockers", Kansas being a wheat growing state, at least in years without drought.  North Dakota grows more grain than any other State, thanks for the fact Wilbur.
  Now, Thanksgiving.  An official holiday since 1863, during the US Civil War, President Lincoln declared a National Day of Thanksgiving.  The date has been adjusted a couple of times, it now falls on the fourth Thursday in November.  Generally now it's know for "food and football" or as the prelude to the day that makes all shop - a - holics happy; Black Friday- which begins at 12:00AM by the way.
  Anyway that's my take on Thanksgiving, I've already had my turkey this Friday past at the Hermon Family Restaurant - a hot turkey sandwich with nice gravy.  Gobble, gobble.

What it look like when I was a kid.  Right down to the pressed back chairs - click
www.wikipedia.org photo