As trees get buds and flowers begin to bloom, farmers are kicking off their most crucial time of year. We’re getting to that time now for many growers across most of the country, and I wish everyone the best in their endeavors.  

Before I started at Southeast Farm Press in January, I did not know a lot about the details and processes farmers follow to get food to our table. And I also did not take into consideration a lot of the hurdles farmers face seasonally as well as daily. Despite obstacles thrown their way, farmers keep planting and caring for their land the best they can. Most people outside of the agricultural world do not know or consider the level of sustainability farmers must maintain to care for their land.  

Entering the world of farming after nearly a decade spent working in newspapers, a volatile industry, I can sympathize with the uncertainty and insecurity of feeling a lack of control in one’s work. I can also relate to the hustle side of things, pulling long nights in the early days of my career, doing freelance work on the side for extra money and experience, and having to regularly take on overtime.  

There are challenges and misconceptions about what farmers do, and how they feel about things. They need to work sustainably, but they also need to ensure pests do not destroy their crops and bring disease so they can produce food to keep people fed. And at the same time, they need to make sure they work sustainably to care for the land that has been in their family for generations, caring for the soil and figuring out ways to reduce their chemical output.  

From sunrise to sunset, farmers are out in the field, working and double checking their work to make sure things are going smoothly. They truly have full plates when it comes to getting things just right. Farming has been in most of these families for generations, and over time they have learned the right time and weather to give cotton, soybean, or corn the best chance for a bountiful crop. But despite best efforts and planning, mother nature can have other ideas that throw a wrench in thorough, thought-out plans. 

Whether you are growing cotton, peanuts, soybeans, wheat, or another crop, I hope this is a year of abundance in the growing world. The craft of growing from the earth is a labor of love and getting ready to plant requires strong focus and planning. To all the farmers, good luck this season. My wish is for everyone to have a plentiful harvest, and that your hard work in the field pays off like mine did at the desk, to bring me to this amazing opportunity to work as managing editor at Southeast Farm Press.