Can we all agree that planting season is a wonderfully exhausting time of year? I’ve narrowed it down to 5 stages/thoughts/struggles that come about while we’re all working hard to get things planted.
Can you relate?
1. The “Anticipation”
It’s almost like you’re watching a basketball team right before the ball is tossed up for the jump to start the game. When will the ref throw the ball up? Will the other team jump too early? Can I jump just an inch higher than I did in practice?
Farmer version: When is the field going to dry up enough to start? Will my neighbor start before me? Are you sure we went through everything we needed to on the planter?
2. The “What can go wrong, will go wrong”
If we’re circling back to my basketball analogy…did I even jump when the ref tossed the ball up, or did he just chuck the ball to the other side of the court, down the hallway and lock it in a closet. AKA: planting didn’t quite go as planned.
Remind me again why we we spent the last month going through the planter and checking the monitor before we started? Maybe it’s just a hobby?
Be right back while I call my implement dealer, precision planting guy, my seed dealer, my co-op rep, my tire guy, my dog, my aunt, my best friend from elementary school…you get it, there’s a lot of people involved in this process.
3. The “Does my husband actually live in the field now?”
You haven’t seen your husband for more than a few 15 minute increments in the past week. You might see him as you try to open your eyes at the crack of dawn when he gets out of bed to head back out to the field, or when you give him a ride or hand him a quick bite to eat as he’s rushing to the next task.
When you do see him, your conversations are centered around where to go and what to do next and how to hopefully get in a few more acres before the rain hits. He’s exhausted, you’re exhausted & the I think the farm dog might be even exhausted just watching this process…
4. The “Rain day”
This day should mean a break, right? Maybe we should define break…
Your farmer might get an extra hour of sleep tonight–which is pretty great. And MAYBE, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to eat a meal together since he’ll be working in the shop.
There’s always something that he’s been putting off fixing or getting ready so the planter didn’t stop. Now that it’s forced to stop because of the rain, it’s time to work on that list that just keeps growing. Rain days have just a slightly slower pace, but there’s still an overabundance of things to get done.
5. The “Finish Line”
Did the 2019 planting season just happen? Was I awake? Oh, I know, maybe my lack of sleep just made me delirious. Regardless…HALLELUJAH! EVERYTHING IS PLANTED!
This year, the finish line seems a bit farther off for a lot of us with the amount of rain delays we’re getting, but I promise you, it will come. In the meantime, try to enjoy each stage of planting and appreciate each in it’s own right.
Once you cross the finish line, it’s time to pray for rain & worry every day about those plants we put our blood, sweat & tears into. <3
What stage of planting are you in?
Check out @nefarmgirlnextdoor on Instagram to see which stage we’re in & let us know which stage you’re in while you’re there!