There are four distinct farm seasons. Planting, Growing, Harvest and WaitingRestlesslyToPlant. Today we are at the tail end of WaitingRestlesslyToPlant season.
During the long cold season of WaitingRestlesslyToPlant, farmers drive along muddy turn rows, staring at black furrows laid out like fans, willing the weather to warm. They wait and plan and watch the sky counting down to the first day of Planting season when collectively all the farmers exhale, along with their wives and children.
Nurturing crops day and night during Growing season, farmers pray for sunshiny days, then pray for rain, then pray for no rain. So do their wives and children.
Finally, the smell of defoliant fills the southern air. Harvest Season. The most wonderful time of the year. The fields are saturated in white, a sea of snowy cotton. Golden wheat bends and bows to the earth. Rice hang heavy and dry. Dust flies. Combines roar. Blackbirds watch from a safe distance. The end of another year, another cycle.
At the end of Harvest, farmers are content to have a bit of money left over to plow back into the soil next year.
Farmers toil from sunup to sundown, from can to can’t. They do it because they love it. They do it because they can’t not do it.
talya
The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat…”
Musical Pairing:
Big Green Tractor, Jason Aldean
Be sure to watch this video above of our farmers from home!
Never A Dull Moment…Fishing for Cotton…
(Senter Farms, Holthouse Farms, Mississippi County, Arkansas)
Never A Dull Moment…Fishing for Cotton…
(Senter Farms, Holthouse Farms, Mississippi County, Arkansas)
What a fascinating glimpse into farming down South, Talya. I live in Eastern Ontario in farm country, surrounded by dairy farms mostly so this was interesting to read about. I enjoyed watching the video, too. What a struggle but they finally got the cotton out. I was rooting for them! Hooray!
Cattitude and Gratitude
Thank you! I imagine your part of the world is gorgeous!
I love watching that video! I think I need a road trip home soon – it’s been too long.
I agree!
Most interesting, Talya. My views of cotton picking in the South are based on my reading of novels like Gone With the Wind! 😉
Corinne, that’s how it was back in the day:)
Intriguing look at farm life.
And F is for Fayetteville …
Happy A-Z! Visiting from the GBE 2: Blog On FB group.
Flier and flyer – Mixed messages and misused words from A to Z
Yes! Fayetteville.
Farming is the same in Italy, although we usually planted tomatoes, beans and zucchini, with a number of lesser crops, too. Oh, yeah, I knew there was something else: grapes. And right in the fall came the walnuts and chestnuts that tended to fall on our heads as we harvested the grapes. Ah, yes. I loved it and miss it.
Yeah I’m quite fond of those grape crops…
We used to have a static caravan (trailer) in a farmer’s field, and the video reminds me of when my car got stuck in the mud and had to be hauled out by the farmer with his tractor!
Farmers are great friends to have!
The only seasons I know of are football, basketball, baseball, and swim. 🙂
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com
Those coincide with farm seasons:)
Thank you for linking up to The Great Blog Train! Angie@godsgrowinggarden.com Marci@stonecottageadventures.com Helen@blueeyedbeautyblogg.blogspot.com
You have a beautiful writing style!
thank you!
I’m watching my baby garlic come up right now! It’s the first year I’ve grown garlic and I’m so excited. Nice post.
I didn’t grow up on a farm, but lived in a farming community. Almost everyone I knew had a farmer for a father. It worked the same way there.
Returning visit from A to Z. Thanks for coming by my blog.
Brett Minor
Transformed Nonconformist
I admire farmers and ranchers that have such dedication to their crops and animals. So much work, but you’re right, they can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s in their blood. It’s who they are. Nice, Talya!
Very interesting. I enjoyed the video but why was the cotton in the river? It sounds like farming is a whole lot of praying, too. 🙂
Manzanita
Wanna buy a duck
People talk about preaching being a calling, I’m pretty sure farming is too! Great post!
My grandpa and uncle were both farmers. It seemed they were always praying for some sort of weather and always falling short. Still, they did it all their lives. Great post and glimpse of farming.
Kathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com
I wish farmers got the credit they deserved for feeding everybody.
Gorgeous. Definitely WaitingRestlesslyToPlant here. My husband and I are talking about starting an organic farm… we really love it!
Love your A-Z theme Talya, thanks for visiting my blog earlier and for leaving a comment.
I have just planted the winter crop in my veggie patch, garlic has surfaced as has the onions and carrots. We dont get snow over winter here so we can grow things like lettuce and spinach.
I’m looking forward to more of your posts.
Deb at http://acitrusgroveinthesuburbs.blogspot.com.au/
I truly have a great respect for farmers. It is a tough life, I enjoyed reading your post. The climate can be your best friend or your worst enemy.
Fantastic, Talya! Awesome story and Awesome video! You take me home every time I get on here and start reading. Amazing!=)
Sounds like my world growing up on a cotton farm in TX.
Sunni
http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/