Spring Planting

For being optimists, farmers worry a whole bunch: is it too early to plant, will there be a freeze, will the crops survive an early freeze, is the ground too dry, is it too wet, when will it stop raining, when will it start raining, why haven’t they delivered the seed, why haven’t they delivered the fertilizer, what the hell is the market reacting to…it goes on until the crops have been harvested and sold. Then comes the new year, and the worries start all over again.

There was a freeze in mid-May, about the time we can expect the last freeze of spring. Here is what a corn plant looks like with frost damage. Notice the brown edge on the leaf.


The next photo is of corn plants just emerging. This is the first time we farmers give a sigh of relief, the seed is growing.



The next photo usually brings the next sigh of relief, it looks like a green haze over the field. A miracle, the crop is really growing.


From here until the harvest is complete, we will be walking the fields to monitor the progress of the crops. Why all this work? We enjoy the work…mostly.