Priorities

Much like fall, spring is a very busy time on a livestock/crop farm. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is to decide what to do first. When the weather warms and the fields dry it is time to put the crop in the ground. Time is of the essence when it comes to planting. There are weeks were you may only get a few hours in the fields due to weather. An dry, early spring is no indication of a dry later spring. Despite the pressures of planting, the crops are not the first priority of the day.                                                                                                                   

The pigs always get top billing. Chores, weaning, breeding, load for market, all get done before going to the field. There is a saying that pigs would get something called CP Disease in the spring and the fall - corn planting and corn picking disease. We do our best to keep that from happening. Sometimes that means doing chores before the pigs are even awake and being in the tractor later than you would prefer.

   

Deciding what to do first is not the only challenge during the busy seasons. It is also important to prioritize what is going on outside the farm. Planting is one of my favorite activities on the farm. However, when they are having a theater/speech celebration night at the high school and you know a few people involved with that you turn the planter over to someone else.

It is important to teach you kids the value of hard work but not that work is more important than they are. Everything will get done. The corn is planted and been watered. God is good.