When old man winter knocks at the door, many farmers get the question “What do you do in the winter time?”
Unfortunately the winter season is not a time of year where farmers park the tractor and put up their feet to enjoy some much needed R & R. In fact winter can be just as busy as the growing season. The orchards and livestock still need to be cared for, equipment needs worked on, and many farmers use any extra time to focus on educational opportunities.
So what happens on Shooks Farms during the winter?
Unfortunately the winter season is not a time of year where farmers park the tractor and put up their feet to enjoy some much needed R & R. In fact winter can be just as busy as the growing season. The orchards and livestock still need to be cared for, equipment needs worked on, and many farmers use any extra time to focus on educational opportunities.
So what happens on Shooks Farms during the winter?
Maintaining and caring for the 200 acres of sweet and tart cherries on the farm takes up a large amount of time in the winter. The key to producing quality cherries rests in the pruning of the tree. This never ending process involves shaping the tree for maximum sunlight exposure and cutting out the dead wood. There is not enough time to prune every orchard in the winter so we pick the orchards that need it the most. Grandpa Shooks always said when it comes to pruning “do a little to a lot, instead of a lot to a little.” One tool used to prune the orchards is the saw blade, which is probably the least expensive tool on the farm but one of the most effective. This 8 foot wooden pole is used to manually cut limbs from each tree in the orchard, it is a slow but essential process. Another tool used, which happens to be my dads preferred method of pruning is the use of the Mechanical pruning tower also known as the “brownie”. This tool allows the operator to drive the machine and cut limbs from the tree while being raised up to 14 feet. It helps to speed up the process but still makes for a monotonous job.
Daily feeding of the cattle or “chores” as we call it, takes place all throughout the year and is even more important in the winter. As the temperatures drop the cattle will eat more to stay warmer. It is also essential to keep the barnyards clean throughout the year in order to keep the cattle clean and healthy. In the winter it is especially important to remove any snow in the barns. Twice a week we clean the snow and manure from the yards and spread it into a pile in a field to be dispersed out when the snow is melted. If we did not remove the snow from the barn and the area outside of the barn, the cattle would pack the snow down creating an ice skating rink which would lead to many injured cows.
Fixing and fabricating equipment also takes place during the coldest months of the year. It is difficult to find shop time for every project that needs to be done before the spring. Because our farm equipment is used so frequently during harvest time it is very important to inspect each machine and conduct any maintenance to keep our equipment running like a Deere. Shop time is also used for manufacturing needed equipment and useful tools. About 7 years ago, neighboring farmer Pat McGuire of Royal Farms, taught me how to build a forklift out of an old Chevy pick up. Since then we’ve used our winter shop time to construct a total of 4 forklifts. This machinery has been extremely helpful during cherry harvest and is used to quickly transport tanks of cherries from the orchard to the truck or receiving station.
Winter also happens to be the time of year when I travel to trade shows, educational meetings, and other agricultural events. It is fitting for me to be writing this blog on an airplane heading to the American Farm Bureau Annual Conference and Trade Show in Nashville. Farm bureau events take up the majority of my time in the winter as I am currently serving on the State Young Farmer Executive Committee. Farm Bureau is a National Organization that offers educational opportunities for farmers. The educational classses cover a wide range of topics including growing techniques, farming transition, legislative issues and other areas that affect our industry. The educational meetings I attend also give me the chance to educate others. As a farmer, I am a voice for agriculture. Just recently I was asked to speak on a growers panel at the Northwestern Michigan Orchard and Vineyard show about Deer Control. This is a major issue in Michigan right now affecting farmers. These trainings take place all over the state and sometimes I even have the opportunity to attend conferences outside of the state like I am now traveling to Nashville and in a couple of weeks will go to Phoenix for the American Young Farmer and Ranchers Leaders Conference.
Although Farm Bureau events have taken me many places, I will probably never top last years travels as I had the opportunity to go to New Zealand! I was a member of the MSU New Farm group from 2009-2012 which was a regional leadership training program. For the conclusion of the program the group wrote a grant to the USDA & Rural development to tour the growing region of New Zealand and we were granted the money. It's had to believe that almost a year ago, all 36 of us boarded a plane and headed to the other side of the world. It was the trip of a lifetime and I’m so glad I got to spend it with my wife Jenny and good friends in my regional farming community.
Although winter time is a slower paced season for us, we farmers do stay busy. The lack of pressure and stress that is present during the production months gives us time to take a breath, recuperate, and enjoy valuable time with Family. By spring I am ready for a change of pace I suppose that is why to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun.
