I get asked this question all the time. It’s kind of funny, because even though we have a break in fieldwork this time of year, there’s still so much that needs to get done. Here’s a partial list of what happens during the “quiet season.”
1. Feed the animals. Our cows need care 365 days a year.
2. Our financials. Our fiscal year is the calendar year, so there’s lots of year-end and beginning of year work to do. I just finished our budget for 2014.
3. Buying insurance. We are fortunate to be able to provide health insurance to our employees. Researching and signing up for the best health care program takes a lot of time and patience.
4. Buying seed and fertilizer. Just like home gardeners, winter is our time to get the best deals on seed for spring.
5. Crop rotation mapping. We rotate crops in order to maximize soil health and get the highest yields we can. This takes quite a bit of planning – think of it as a giant puzzle.
6. Taxes. Yes, it’s that time of year for everyone.
7. Analyzing our crop yields. All of our harvest data is recorded. We know what spots had poor yields, and where the most corn grew. Now we can ask ourselves, “Was is soil quality? Too much water?” We analyze to see what we can do differently in that field and how we can use our resources better.
8. Communication. We have regular board meetings with our farmer/owners. That means time to plan the meetings and hold them.
9. Visiting with neighbors. Winter is the time we can touch base with our landholders, negotiate contracts and discuss what’s working in our partnership. It’s also a good time to just visit, have a cup of coffee and catch up.
Well, there you have it. Winter really isn’t a slow time. It’s time to get a lot of things done that need doing. And before we know it, we’ll be back out in the fields, plowing and getting ready to plant again.
