Headin’ to the lake

In my early days in ag media, bouncing around the Corn Belt covering precision ag technology in the row crop world, it was always joked that all the farmers “take off to the lake” once the crop started emerging from that Iowa black gold.

Of course, that’s a major exaggeration. There are many in-season tasks before Johnny Corn Farmer can conceivably call it a year.

That reminds me of horticulture, in that many outside the industry assume all greenhouses are humming right along all spring until the record needle-screeches that Monday after Mother’s Day, and boom. Off to the lake for them, as well.

That wouldn’t be a very sound business model for most, though, would it? And how would the very people that power this people-powered industry continue to make a good living?

Thank goodness that's not the case.

On the contrary, it seems the industry is more focused than ever on uncovering new crops, new markets and new offerings that customers will gobble up, especially outside that traditional spring sales season timeframe.

Out at CAST in March, you could practically feel that cooperative effort. There are a ton of new variety introductions for 2022-2023 production season that are either early finishers, or late starters.

It's our hope there’s an opportunity, where it makes sense, to extend your season and grow more (while helping your employees grow themselves and their families, as well).

Just make sure you can always fit in that trip to the lake!