Planting 2019, or not.

Steve has said a few times, "we need to put something on facebook about planting this year."  When I ask him what to write, there's crickets.  He has no words.  So I'm going to try a find a few.

We had the privilege of going to a friends cottage this past weekend in Indiana.  When you are a farmer that means........CROP TOUR!   Our children have come to expect it.  We drive and talk about fields, what's planted, growth, color, stance etc.  We were told Indiana is really bad this year.  What we found is, it's not good, definitely a late plant, drowned out spots and I'm sure harvest won't be as plentiful, but it's planted.

This week Steve had meetings with Michigan Soybean promotion committee and Michigan Soybean association.  Farmers from all over the state.  They came to Holland this time so I was able to meet them.  They had a Hope College bus,  Steve brought them to our farm and on a small crop tour.  One farmer said, "I don't know what to say, I'm not trying to brag, but we at least have our fields planted."  It was interesting for me to sit and listen to the farmers hash over what they were seeing, how to deal with this year, and how to move forward.

I've had people ask, "what's it like to have Steve around all the time now?"  He's not around.  He still goes to work 7:30am to 5:00pm.  He didn't have his busy season where he worked 18+ hours a day.  But this year is unknown.  He knows how to buy seed, plant it, sprays etc.  But now he's learning how to return seed, studying what happens if he keeps it for another year, running numbers of what preventive plant and crop insurance looks like, what cover crops are needed to give the soil the right nutrients, and on and on.  This is unknown territory.

This year we have not even 25% of the fields planted.  That's a lot of unplanted fields waiting for cover crops.

Farming is always a gamble.  I've watched my parents over the years have their ups and downs.  And now we get to live it ourselves.  We were in the kitchen and a friend asked how it was going.  Macy perked up and said, "we're all eating, so I think we're fine."  And that is so true.  Like anything in life, Faith carries us through.  This is not the year Steve or any farmer wanted.  Not just farmers,  it goes down the line to the grocery stores and the consumers.
But we have Faith!  Next year is another year.  God has always provided and He will continue.

I found this fitting last night.  Looking over an unplanted field at His awesome sunset!  God's got this!!