New Year’s Day Sunday

I absolutely love a weekend in the winter. Between the end of harvest and the first of March weekends are glorious! The daylight gets shorter and with the darkness comes a certain peace and quiet that fills my soul. I’m a planner and I have learned I work better with a plan  I also need some quiet time to recharge. (This is still a big work in progress!) With a profession that works when the weather allows and not a clock weekends can be non existent. I think this is why I cherish these few weekends in between the craziness of the farm. 

It’s also the end of the old year on the calendar and the freshness of a new year ahead. It coincides with the crop. I spend November and December tallying up the old crop. Finalizing marketing plans, setting up shipping schedules and logistics for the grain in our grain bins, reporting to landlords and generally wrapping up all the business for the prior crop. You can find me at the office for at least a portion of these weekends. It’s quiet too. Four hours spent on a Saturday morning could equate to 8-10 hours of work during the week when the office is busier and interruptions abound. 

These same few months also provide great waterfowl hunting. Arkansas grows the largest acreage of rice in the country and it’s no secret the ducks love it here! Along the Mississippi Flyway, our farm and all those around us provide a perfect habitat to fuel the migration. With this migration of waterfowl comes a migration of hunters from near and far. Similar to the rice industry the waterfowl world is a small one too. We have friends that come to hunt and enjoy the habitat we provide. It’s a wonderful time to fellowship with our community of hunting friends for the season. A Saturday night spent cooking at our little duck camp is something I really enjoy doing. Lots of laughter and tall tales and sharing as many rice dishes as I can possibly fit into the menu! 

January rolls around and the new year begins. Financial statements and tax returns, crop plans and crop budgets. And meetings. Lots and lots of farmer meetings. I have volunteered within the rice industry almost 25 years and I’ve made lots of friends. I enjoy listening and learning at all the agriculture meetings. There seems to always be something I can bring home to improve our operations. Time flies and so do the ducks and geese as they make their way back to the prairie in the north. Before we know it tractors are rolling and the excitement and anticipation of a new crop seems to fill the air. 

But, as usual I’m getting ahead of myself. Since it is the beginning of January, I want to enjoy this Sunday night by the warm crackling fire. The white lights of our Christmas tree softly illuminating the den. The voices of the NFL announcers lulling me to sleep in the background. 

For now the laundry is all folded and put away. Meals are planned for the week. I’ve been through my calendar and day planner and have all my notes reviewed.  I’m sure things will pop up but am as prepared as I can be. You know the saying proper planning prevents poor performance. The alarm is set for me to rise at 5:00 am and my workout clothes, journal and Bible are laid out to begin my day. 

I deliberately have structure in my days. Without it I don’t believe I could successfully complete my job or enjoy my nights. So, here’s to a quiet, winter night and the prospect of a glorious new year!

-Jennifer