By Dodi Wheeler
Welcome to the Farmer’s Market – We’re excited to be part of Grow Jackson and to have this avenue to keep you updated, as there’s so much developing on the fresh food access horizon!
Even though the snow is covering the ground, temperatures are freezing, and the bitter winds are blowing, farmers are still hard at work! What in the world are they doing?
Seffernick Farms is getting all of their equipment repaired and prepared for next year, ordering seed, and making sure they have all their “ducks in a row,” and Curtis Farms is grinding feed for cattle, ordering seed and starter plants for mums, and cleaning out messy greenhouses.
Other tasks farmers do in the winter are many things we wouldn’t normally consider: reviewing past yields, planning crops, attending industry education, securing loans, updating business plans, handling taxes and budgets, working on infrastructure, like learning and setting up new technology and software for bookkeeping and data analysis, as well as staying updated on industry trends; they’re also making sure animals have proper housing and feed, breeding animals, fixing structures like fences and drainage systems, testing soil, applying compost, pest control, pruning fruit trees and vines, selling stored grain, and preparing for markets – like ours! (And don’t forget, they’ve got to move a lot of snow to get these things done!) Some farmers even have second jobs in the winter. And some, hopefully, do the most important task of all: Rest!
Winter is a crucial time for farmers and producers to get ahead. They need to ensure their fields, equipment, and finances are optimized for a busy spring planting season. And right now, we’re all looking forward to spring!
