January 31, 2025

By Ethan Wolheter
As winter transitions into spring, I am continually reminded of my family garden and all the preparations that go into growing fruits and vegetables. As long as I can remember, I have helped with the family garden and all the tilling, planting, weeding, harvesting, washing and canning that goes along with producing homegrown foods.
From asparagus to zucchini, we grow all sorts of produce in our 50-foot-by-150-foot garden plot. I have grown up eating every vegetable and fruit grown. As much as I love indulging in all the wonderful food, my favorite part is preparing the garden and planting.
To be honest, preparing the garden for planting was not always my favorite part. Every year when spring rolled around, I got excited about eating our fresh produce, but I did not always look forward to planting the garden. We started by plowing and tilling, and then came the step I dreaded: raking. This step smoothed the soil before we made rows and planted. I remember my dad, brother and I raking while I complained and questioned why we had to rake the garden.

BEHIND THE SCENES: Before I can enjoy the fruits of my labor by harvesting my garden, I need to take the time to prepare and plant it. Here, I am selecting plants to grow.
Learning to love it
As I got older, I realized that raking is just another step in getting fresh produce onto our table. I gained an appreciation for the process of coming together as a family to raise a successful garden. I began to anticipate spring and the time my family would spend preparing the garden. I looked forward to buying plants and seeds, and I only grumbled a bit while raking. To this day, I think seeing the first sprouts of cold-season vegetables pop out of the soil is one of the most amazing sights.
While serving as an Indiana FFA state officer this year, the idea of my family garden has encouraged me. As I continue to grow as a leader and advocate for agriculture, I sometimes work at tasks that I do not quite enjoy. However, as I reflect upon my garden, I understand that sometimes it is better to look at challenges from the bigger picture and realize that much work must be done to grow.
I hope that the next time you take on a challenge or task that may seem difficult and unnecessary, you think of the bigger picture and the fruits that may come of your labor.
Wolheter is a 2024-25 Indiana FFA state officer. He writes from Trafalgar, Ind.
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