Ahoj” to all! We have been ever so lucky lately with some pleasant spring weather around here and even a bit more rain! We measured around an inch altogether last weekend. What an incredible surprise that was.
I’ve come to learn that a farmer’s prayer for rain can be one of the most powerful pleas within this lifestyle. I heard the phrase “it’s too wet to plant” this weekend for the first time in what feels like years. We are so grateful for this!
Dad and I recently attended a visitation service of my dear friend’s grandpa. He was a respectable farmer who modestly taught everyone around him to value the lessons and the characteristics we learn from this honorable agriculture lifestyle.
He held the farming lifestyle ever so closely to his heart. He modeled those important values that he learned through trial and error for his family every day. The most heartfelt and humorous words were spoken about him, bringing smiles and tears to so many faces.
The eulogy concluded with asking him to send down rain whenever we prayed for it. I have no doubt in my mind that is where this generous shower came from. Many thank yous have been sent right back up.
The boys have been working down to the wire in the field, trying to wrap up corn planting. Once they are able to step back in the fields and put in a handful of long days, they should be finishing up there.
There are a few more chances of rain in our area, so I’m not sure when they will be able to get back in. It’s definitely not a bad reason to have to push back completion time.
I was always so sure of myself that I had a preference of cattle farming over grain farming. Cattle and horses have always had my heart, and I live for the process of breeding, calving, feeding out and selling.
Most of all, there is so much to grasp and learn about grain farming that it can be a little overwhelming and over my head. Not that I don’t have a lot to learn about the cattle industry, too. I can just hang with that information a little better!
But every single year that planting and harvest season rolls around, I find myself praying that I will never have to live without it. The other day, I was talking to Dad about how I feel a bit ineffective while attempting to help with the grain farming portion. I don’t know how to do nearly anything when it comes to fixing the tractors, choosing between the millions of seed corn options, knowing every hand signal in the book, or having that sixth farmer sense of predicting the weather for the season.
He quickly shot down this feeling and told me that I am more of a help than I know. By bringing out sandwiches and cookies, they are able to work through mealtimes. By doing chores at home, they can finish those last few rows before the rain comes. By giving a lift into the next field, it eliminates any unnecessary travel that costs precious time. By keeping supper warm until 10 p.m. when the equipment is finally parked for the night, a hard-earned meal is awaiting to be enjoyed rather than stressed over to prepare. This just so happens to be everything I have grown to love about planting season.
Source: agupdate.com
Photo Credit: gettyimages-wiyadaa
Categories: Nebraska, Crops