Spring on the Farm: Where It All Comes Together

Spring in Montana doesn’t show up all at once. One day feels like winter, the next feels like hope. But on the farm, you can feel the shift before you can always see it.

Things are starting to move.

The guys have been busy cleaning seed—wheat, chickpeas, yellow peas, and lentils—getting everything ready for planting, which we’re hoping to start next week. Before any of that, though, there’s been a lot happening behind the scenes. Drills and tractors have been gone through, broken hoses fixed, parts replaced—everything tuned up and ready.

Once we start, it doesn’t stop. We’ll be seeding about 8,000 acres over the course of two months, and the days will stretch long—8am to 8, 10, sometimes midnight—every day of the week until it’s done.

This year, lentils are taking the lead with 1,300 acres going in, along with 480 acres of yellow peas and 70 acres of chickpeas (which, for us, is still more than enough to supply our chickpea flour).

Right now, it’s the calm before that storm. The quiet work that sets everything else in motion.

But farming this time of year isn’t just about crops—it’s about life in every direction you turn.

A couple years ago, we added goats to the farm, and they’ve quickly become one of our favorite parts of it. This spring, we have four does kidding, and already three have babies on the ground.

We’re raising Nigerian Dwarf goats and still figuring out exactly how they fit into what we’re building here, but we’ve started exploring. We’ve milked once before and plan to again this year—mostly for our home. Goat milk has become a favorite for simple things like coffee creamer and making cottage cheese.

It’s also opened the door for something unexpected. Our youngest daughter has taken a deep interest in skincare and wants to experiment with creating her own products. So this year, we’ll be freezing milk for her to test and create. It’s funny how often kids raised in this environment start dreaming up businesses of their own.

We’re also looking at a more practical role for the goats—using our wethers for weed control. There’s a real need for alternatives to chemical spraying, especially in places that are hard to reach or not fenced. We’ve got a dam on a far north property with fallen trees, thick grass, and heavy weeds that’s difficult to even walk through. We’re hoping to test collars there and see if we can start reclaiming that space and make it usable again.

There’s still a lot to learn, but that’s part of farming—figuring things out as you go, while trying to do it better each year.

And right alongside all of that… we’re waiting.

Our oldest daughter, Chassie, has always loved cows. A few years ago, we got her a mini calf, and now that calf—Saysay—is getting ready to have her own.

She’s due April 20th.

We’ve moved her into her “calving suite,” a smaller pen with access to the barn so we can keep a close eye on her. It’s that mix of excitement and anticipation that’s hard to explain unless you’ve been through it.

Saysay was AI’d to Bruce from Two Cow Tribe, which makes this even more meaningful. Kaylee from Two Cow Tribe grew up here in Circle, and we’ve known her family for years. Agriculture has a way of staying connected like that.

We’ve also had the blessing of a neighbor, Danae Switzer, who has helped Chassie learn about AI and did the process for her. She’s been incredible in getting her started, and it’s a reminder that raising kids—especially in agriculture—really does take a village.

People willing to answer questions, step in, share knowledge, and help kids explore what they’re passionate about—that’s how something meaningful gets built.

Chassie already has big plans. She wants to grow her mini cow herd, work with animals, and someday live in a barndominium surrounded by them. Most days, she’d choose animals over people—and she’s completely okay with that.

So right now, in the middle of seed cleaning, equipment prep, baby goats, and everything else…

We wait for Saysay.

Praying for a healthy calf. Maybe hoping just a little for a heifer to add to her herd.

Spring on the farm is never just one thing. It’s preparation and patience. Long days and new life. Big acres and small moments that matter just as much.

And we’re just getting started