Spring Prep on the Farm: 18 Years In and Still Learning

This spring marks 18 years of farming with my husband—and I can honestly say I’ve learned more in the last five years than in all the years before.

A big part of that has come from building our food business.

When you start sharing your products with people—through social media, blogs, or just everyday conversations—you quickly realize people want to know more. They ask how your food is grown, how it’s harvested, how it’s handled, and why you do things the way you do.

And I’ve found I really love answering those questions.

But to answer them well, I’ve had to dig deeper. Not just into what we do—but why we do it.

Take planting season, for example.

It might seem simple from the outside—get in the field, plant the crop, hope for rain. But the reality is, there’s a lot more thought behind it than most people realize.

One question I’ve dug into recently is: Why are certain crops planted first—and can that change?

The answer isn’t straightforward.

Different farmers will give you different perspectives, and a lot of it depends on conditions. For example, chickpeas can often be planted earlier in the spring than other crops. But in recent years, some farmers have chosen to plant wheat first instead.

Why?

Because wheat needs more moisture to establish than chickpeas do. Planting wheat early can help capture that early spring moisture. But there’s a tradeoff—wheat doesn’t always perform well if temperatures are too low.

So now you’re balancing moisture vs. temperature.

And that’s where things get interesting.

Weather forecasts, soil conditions, and even how many acres you’re managing all start to play into the decision. It’s not a fixed plan—it’s something that shifts year to year.

That kind of planning—and constant reevaluation—is something I’ve really come to love.

I’m a spreadsheet person, through and through. If there’s something to track, I’ll build a spreadsheet for it.

Last year, when I realized just how much planting decisions could shift based on conditions, I started keeping records—tracking ground moisture, temperatures, and how those lined up with planting timing. My goal is to use that data to make better decisions each year as we continue to improve.

Now, I know some people would say that sounds like a lot of work—and they wouldn’t be wrong.

But I love data. I love learning. And I’m always asking, how can we do this better?

For the past few years, I’ve carried a simple motto:

I want to be better today than I was yesterday.

That mindset carries into everything we do—not just farming, but our business and how we serve people.

Because when you have a platform, even a small one, there’s a responsibility that comes with it. I want to be as knowledgeable as I can—not to have all the answers, but to be willing to find them.

We’re here for our community—our small town, our farmers, and other food businesses. And I believe that being intentional in how we learn, grow, and share is one way we can give back.

To me, strong communities are built on three things:

Collaboration. Communication. And showing up for each other.