In the start of 2020, no one could have predicted what #Plant2020 would have looked like. Prices were finally starting to rise, farmers were in the shop prepping equipment and pricing fertilizer. However, that all changed when the coronavirus made its way to the United States. While everyone is adjusting to this “new normal,” farmers are also beginning one of their busiest times of the year — planting season. During this busy time farmers continue business as usual, but have noticed differences in this year compared to years past.
While we realize that this pandemic is not a matter to take lightly, we just wanted to bring a smile to your face during these difficult times. We appreciate those farmers and ranchers who work day in and day out, even through a pandemic, to bring food to our tables.
In case you weren’t already aware, here are some sure signs you are a farmer during COVID-19:
- You realize you can comply with social distancing by being in the tractor.
- You notice less traffic when moving from field to field — and you LOVE it.
- You have sandwiches for lunch over and over again since your small town restaurant closed its doors.
- Your significant other is baking more than normal … and apparently the world is out of yeast.
- The dust mask you have on hand is all of a sudden a hot commodity.
- You gained a shadow after schools closed, and the little ones are loving every minute on the farm.
- You measure 6 feet of social distancing by the length of a grown cow.
- Your gate opener has finally come in handy … only six years in the making.
- The homeschooling math lesson turns into calculating how many bags of corn you need to finish a field.
- It’s been weeks since your local farm store let you step foot inside, the longest you’ve ever gone not being in there.
- You’re officially deemed “essential” by the government, but you’ve known that your whole life.
- Tiger King has been making headlines but you don’t have the time to binge watch it, although the memes sure do look funny.
- It never bothered you not knowing what day of the week it was since you work every day. Now the rest of the world has joined you in not knowing what day it is, just for a different reason.
- You are tired, hurting, sweaty, and headachy — and you don’t have the coronavirus.
- You continue to work hard and provide the same safe products as you did the year before, knowing no one else can do your job.
- And finally you see that planting for crop year 2020 means you are putting in a new seed in the ground representing a new start and hope for the future.
Let us know of other “signs” we might have missed in the comments.
