I do not know if farmers can relate to this statement, but I love rain. I do not necessarily like to be out, driving in rain, and I do not love rain that lasts for days on end. I can also recall one autumn back when my brother played football, and it rained almost every ballgame. Sitting on damp bleachers in a raincoat as a steady drizzle soaked us to the bone, I was certainly not a fan of rain then. However, I love the occasional quiet, rainy day.

Perhaps, this stems from childhood. I can remember many rainy evenings and weekends playing games with family or watching movies. On rainy days, my dad would get home early from work, and all of us might go out somewhere despite the weather.

My dad's profession, like farm work, depends highly on the weather. My father co-owns Vaiden Timber Company with my uncle in Vaiden, Miss. Oftentimes, rainy weather means they are working on equipment in the shop until the rain stops and the ground dries up enough to get back in the woods.

I am sure as a young kid I would have been surprised to find out there are professions that do not rely so much on the weather. It was not uncommon to hear my dad say, "If it rains, I'll get off work early." At an early age, I was under the impression that everything slowed down when it rained.

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Today, I am now aware of how frustrating it can be to need to get to work in the field, yet storm clouds are rolling in. Poor weather can cost valuable time and money in some cases while timely rain can water crops, so an irrigation or two is not necessary. It can certainly be a blessing and a curse.

"April showers bring May flowers," so the saying goes. The saying for farmers could be, "Spring showers often delay planting season." That is not quite as catchy, though, is it?

Spring of 2020 setback planting season for many farmers across the Delta. I recall phone calls, talking to farmers about how the planting season was going for them. I occasionally could hear the frustration in their voices about not being able to get in the field soon enough or having to replant a field due to cold, wet weather.

Regardless of the poor start to the growing season, I heard from farmers during the fall who said how the season produced great yields in spite of the weather. Farming seems like quite a gamble sometimes, yet that does not stop hard-working farmers from rolling the dice.

I wish all our farmers timely rain and good planting weather this year, but when it does inevitably rain from time to time, maybe spend an evening playing board games with your family. It creates good memories.

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