People often ask “what do you do all year?” The assumption is that we plant and we harvest and in-between we have a lot of free time. But year round there’s plenty to do……
Haul grain- depending on the farm size this could be hundreds or thousands of semi-loads of grain to haul
Make plans for the crop year – meet with seed and equipment vendors, lendors, insurance agents, etc.
Review and make equipment purchases
Do repair work on machinery and trucks
Push snow
Submit tax forms
Spread fertilizer
Meet with landlords to negotiate leases. Keep them informed throughout the year.
Pay bills
Soil sampling to determine nutrient needs
Service irrigation systems, drain gear boxes, oil & grease them, check & replace tires as needed
Field tillage to prepare ground for planting
Plant
Spray
Mow around the farm place and road ditches around fields
Pay taxes
Monitor fields and Irrigate as needed
Cut weeds in road ditches
Check grain bins to maintain grain quality- use fans to aerate or move grain as needed
Scout for insects, disease and weeds and treat as needed
Do any building or bin projects
Clean out bins
Get equipment ready for harvest – combines, grain carts, augers, tractors, trucks
Harvest
Close wheel tracks on irrigation systems
Year- end planning for taxes
Seed and fertilizer purchases
Take out dead trees and clean up farmsteads
Report to Farm Service Agency and other governmental agencies as required
Budget planning
Compile and analyze data and technology