As we make our way into a new year on the calendar, and we begin to feel the chill of winter, let’s take some time to reflect on what the new year has in store for us here on the farm. While many look at the new year as a fresh start and a chance to be somebody new, for farmers, it continues the circle of life on the farm. Each season brings with it a fresh look, new chores, and different considerations throughout the day.
Spring, for example, is frequently associated with new life- fresh green grass, blossoming trees and flowers, chicks, ducks, fawns, all sorts of new life emerging from every crevice of the earth. Here on the farm, spring is celebrated because with the return of fresh grass and warm weather our lovely Jersey ladies get to go back out on pasture and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Spring is the time for fixing that which has been broken or worn down over the previous year and the winter just past. We are out fixing fences, cleaning ditches that were flooded by the melting snow. In the spring we can be found filling pot-holes in the driveway, planting seedlings for the garden, airing out the barn and preparing to plant crops for the year ahead.
As we move through the end of spring and days are steadily warmer, the ground has become more solid and there is less mud to be found. We welcome the warmth of these early summer days. Summer brings us more daylight and allows us more time to work and more time to play. It is the season for BBQs and campfires, for fishing and hiking. It is also the season for working. Livestock have returned to the fields, the chickens are out on the pasture and need to be tended every day, the garden is growing and requires daily attention and care as new weeds pop up or vegetables begin to ripen. The cows are moving in and out of the barn which requires more cleaning, and pastures and gates need to be maintained. Berries and peaches have come into season and give us fresh flavors to savor and enjoy with our company: blueberry cobblers, strawberry rhubarb pie, peach crisp and so many more.
Before you know it the days begin to grow shorter again, there is not quite enough grass in the pastures to keep the cows full, the leaves on the trees begin to turn bright orange, yellow and red if we are lucky. There is a chill in the morning and evening air, but the days remain warm- although you may begin to carry a long sleeve with you if you will be out all day. Fall has arrived. Fall is a beautiful time of year. It is a time to slow down and a time to acknowledge our blessings. After a long summer of working, the darker evenings at home are a welcome time to sit and rest. The garden is full, and we have begun to prepare for the winter- both at home and in the barn. Hoses, and outdoor pipes are picked up or insulated to prevent freezing. Machinery is oiled and put away until it is needed again. We begin to close the barn door at night to keep the chill out. Outside, we have finished collecting the harvest for the season and all the crops have been brought in. We put the garden to bed and compost the plants to help refresh the soil in the spring. As we look back on the summer, and at the bounty and the beauty in front of us now, it is the perfect time of year to say Thanks be to God for his blessings.
As the leaves begin to fall, the days begin to carry a chill, and the ground becomes frosty overnight, we transition from fall into winter. Winter is not necessarily our favorite season, but it is necessary. Winter is the reset button for the year. The ground freezes, plants and trees go dormant. The cows are resting in the barn, and we have moved into survival mode- doing chores quickly and moving back into the house for a hot cup of coffee and to warm up as soon as we can, and to wait for the arrival of spring and the warmth and freshness that it brings.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about the seasons from a farmers perspective. Let us know what you do to live with the seasons.
