SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ELDON AND DRAKESVILLE — Autumn really is the best time of the year.

The heat of summer has subsided and the chill of winter has yet to arrive; the different hues of leaves make for beautiful day trips in the country. Oh, and yes, the food!

I have officially joined the ranks of the church harvest supper circuit.

A group of friends and I have targeted area churches for their fall dinners and so far, it’s been an incredible gastronomical adventure.

We traveled first to Eldon for the Eldon United Methodist Church’s harvest supper.

Fried chicken, ham balls, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pies and cakes were part of the menu and it was a rousing success. The line was long but well worth the wait.

During the meal, we learned that we were not alone in our desire to try some of southeast Iowa’s best fare made by some talented Christian women and men — many folks in the area mark their calendars for all these dinners.

Eldon was followed the next week with the annual turkey and ham dinner at the Drakesville United Methodist Church.

The turkey, the deserts and one of the best 5-cup salads I’ve ever enjoyed, were part of the fun.

But during that meal, a friend wisely pointed out that while the food is wonderful and it’s an excellent way for churches and some organizations to raise funds, these harvest dinners are really about fellowship.

“Only in Iowa,” she said. “They don’t have these kinds of dinner in California.”

And she’s right. Iowans and those living in the Midwest and rural areas know how to bring people together. And while food may be the catalyst in this quest, it doesn’t change the fact that we can come together and break bread, sharing each other’s company.

The group traveled to Bladensburg Christian Church over the weekend for the annual God’s Portion Sale.

I wasn’t able to make that dinner, but I’ve heard the roast beef was excellent. And I bet the company was fantastic, too.