Farmer’s job is never done
No, winter time is not when farmers can sit in their easy chair and drink another glass of good cold milk or, second best, another cup of coffee. While there can be fewer work pressures in the winter, there is still plenty to be done.
Along about this time of the year, or even earlier, the income tax people come with their hands out and tell you to get your income tax return filed or be penalized. Many farm income tax returns are much more complex than you and I with an income from a job and no other business.
Farmers may have income from several sources, like selling grain or milk or livestock. Then they have many offsetting expenses to calculate. So they have to take time to get all their records together and go to their accountant for help in getting their return ready to file.
That is just one of their jobs. They know spring planting will be coming along. If they haven’t ordered their seed for spring, that decision has to be made soon.
Different economists predict that there will be more soybeans planted this spring and less corn. Others disagree. Farmers, if they are going to plant, have to make a decision.
They also must decide on how much lime and fertilizer to apply and many of them already have made that decision. Given the uncertainty of the weather and predictions of crop yields in South America, making these decisions is not easy. This is especially true it they are going to plant 500, 1,000, 2,000 or more acres of corn or soybeans.
Then, like our cars or lawn mowers, farm equipment has to be maintained. And there can be a lot of it. Winter is a good time to work on equipment and some kind of heated farm shop is helpful.
There is tillage equipment of various kinds that can need repair. Disks, teeth for tillage tools, shovel plows and more have to be checked for needed replacement. Any tool that comes in contact with the abrasiveness of the soil can wear quickly. Keeping them in good shape helps when the rush of some nice spring days comes along
I have heard some farmers say that grease is cheaper than parts. So going over equipment and making sure it is well lubricated before starting out in the spring is good management.
Tractors are probably one of the first pieces of equipment to get in shape. What does the maintenance book say about needed maintenance on a tractor? Has that work been done?
If farmers have been able to afford a new or fairly modern tractor with all the electronic equipment and air pollution controls, they may not be able to do their own maintenance. They have to bring in specialist from a farm equipment dealer.
One of the most complicated pieces of equipment to maintain is the combine. It is a big piece of equipment with more moving parts than you may want to think about. All these parts need to be lubricated and belts kept in good shape
Then there are grain boxes or trucks that haul the grain from the field to the grain bin or to market. Elevators convey grain from the grain box to the bin so that is another piece of equipment to keep in shape.
On dairy farms, there is all the milking equipment that is used two or three times a day that has to be constantly checked. Also, manure removal and hauling is essential.
We could go on but it helps to remember that our farmer friends can be busy spring, summer, fall and winter. They are never out of work.
Parker is an independent agricultural writer telling the farm story to both rural and urban readers.
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