People who think farmers take it easy over the winter months don’t know much about agriculture. The early-morning rumble of the tractor may have died away for a few months. The steady sound of the hay harvester may have given way to a cold silence as frost blankets the fields. But don’t let the apparent lack of activity fool you. Even when the fields are buried under 10 inches of snow there is no downtime on the farm. Farming is a year-round full-time job.
Farmers work as hard in winter as in any season of the year. Just the nature of the chores changes during the slower pace of winter. There are never-ending lists of things to do, fix, and buy. Equipment needs maintenance, repair or replacement. Hours are spent reading the latest research reports on the best varieties of corn, soybeans, watermelon, alfalfa—whatever the farmer plans to grow. Farmers read over seed catalogs and place orders.
In winter farmers make decisions about what to plant, when to plant and where. They review the past year's financial and operational records to strategize for the next growing season. They calculate how much capital will be needed to start the season. And it’s always a gamble. Unfavorable weather may prevent timely planting, require an in-season switch to a different crop and/or adversely affect expected yield.
Livestock farmers—beef and dairy cattle, pigs, broilers, horses—have no time off from caring for their animals. Winter only makes it harder. Everything takes longer. In cold weather, water freezes and power outages occur, but animals still have to be watered and fed several times a day. And ice storms and blizzards compound the challenges increasing the chance of cold or slipping injury.
While all the above takes 24-7 to accomplish, farmers still manage to fit in classes and meetings that can improve their methods and boost their profit margin. Cooperative Extension workshops and informational meetings are concentrated in January and February when farmers can attend. Professional conferences and equipment exhibits for vegetable and grain growers as well as broiler and dairy producers also occur this time of year. Here, farmers can learn how to market better, sell their grains to the highest bidder, and find out the best varieties to plant for greatest yield. It doesn’t end there. Farmers also attend workshops for safe and efficient application of crop protection chemicals and fertilizers, and strategies for marketing their grains.
No, farmers are not basking on some distant, sunny shore waiting for spring. They are working their farms as usual. And I, for one, am glad they do. Farmers, who make up less that two percent of the American population, feed the rest of us with the efficiency, quality and care no other nation on Earth can match.
Carl Davis, Extension Agent,
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Originally published in “Newark Outlook,” The Newark Post
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