Winter on the Farm

The wheat has already started to sprout. There is nothing like seeing a new crop come out of the ground. There is always that uncertainty as we wait, and then...here it comes. By the ed of February you can here the wind whistle through the leaves. Later the Tri-color blackbirds move in. All Spring you can here them warbling in the field if you slow down and listen. I hear them when I and waling and checking fields.

It has been unusually warm for December. The upside is that cleaning equipment in the shop wasn't the finger freezing chore it usually is. The temps were up to 72 on Friday afternoon. Some years it hovers in the 40's. It is a lot more fun too run the pressure washer when it is 70 that 40, you'll just have to take my word on that. The tractors and equipment are all cleaned, serviced and parked. We survived the demolition derby.

   As you can see above the wheat is off and growing. We'll have most of it watered and sprouting before Christmas. We have started pruning the almonds. We should finish that by mid-January so the pruning scars can heal in the cold weather before the trees start blooming in February.

I got a live ware comment on how last week's blog posting was kind of self-exposing. Well, the whole point of this blog is to share about life on a farm. Economic reality is part of life on the farm. I enjoy sharing about the work we do. I hope you have enjoyed seeing the progression of work during the year, the little tidbits of family life and the recipes. But, it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Farming is a brutally tough business. I can do everything right and still get my clock cleaned by the weather, global markets or other forces outside my control. There are a lot of us licking our financial wounds this year. Some of us won't make it. Others will shake it off and carry on. This is a reality every farm family lives with. I don't mean to be maudlin, I just want to share all the ups and downs of farming. I appreciate your reading along.

I hope y'all have a great week.

P