At one time or another, someone has probably asked you that classic question, “What is your favorite season?” A quick Google search will tell you that more people say they prefer fall, but I personally think there is no better time of the year in North Carolina than spring! We share common hopes with the start of spring 2021: hopes for health, hopes for a return to business as usual and hopes that we can put the pandemic behind us chief among those.
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Farmers have their own set of hopes, as spring kicks off their new year of growing and tending animals. However, a farmer knows that hoping for the right weather, ideal conditions and a robust and fair market is not enough to carry into another growing season. A farmer steps out in faith, but also on a foundation of careful planning.
While the ground goes dormant in winter, a farmer’s job is not put on hold. Planning for the spring season begins with the wind down of the fall harvest for many farmers on a traditional growing calendar. A farmer’s winter is spent reviewing the season that has just closed. That means assessing and making equipment or building repairs or replacements; lining up finances and creating a budget; shopping for seed, tools and inputs; and spending time with peers to look at what issues might lie ahead.
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I hope you can share my enthusiasm about spring, and we can all appreciate a new start, which is what this season represents. Get outside and enjoy!
