A Day on the Farm

   Well, the rain didn't materialize after all that. It did, however get windy. We lost twelve trees. Sad.

   The weather has gotten warm enough to tempt a cotton farmer to start planting. We are going to irrigate and fertilize the wheat next week to keep us busy and distracted from the temptation. 

   This picture barely begins to capture some of the beauty of Spring here in the Valley. On some of the raw ground you can find fields of wild flowers blooming. John Muir called them "Bee Pastures" when he walked across the Valley in 1868. This field glowed with bright electric purple for a few weeks. You can read in my March 3 post about how the Valley looks pretty in green.

A Day on the Farm

By Paul H. Betancourt

Copyright February 2013

            Some days I feel like I was shot out of a cannon and I know many of you feel the same way. I am already running behind when the alarm goes off.

            After the dogs take me for our morning walk I hop in the truck and head off. During the season there is-

            -water to change

            -I need to check in with the men who work for 

             us

            -fix anything that has broken since yesterday

            - check fields to monitor plant growth, bugs and 

              weeds

            -monitor crop prices

            It’s a juggling act. While I keep all the daily stuff going, there are budgets to prepare, reports to file, bills to pay and preparation for the next project.

            All it takes to upset this tightly choreographed dance is-

            -one broken bolt

            -one flat tire

            -or, one dead battery

Then we have to stop, drop what we are doing and deal with that little disaster.

Farming is a combination of living in the moment and preparing for the future. I know

many of you work the same way. My days just include tractors, dirt and wide open spaces.

I hope Y'all have a great week!