Commenting on atypical weather is a cliched conversation starter. But what the heck, this is the Midwest. Your author is a farmer. We have a shared interest. 

December and most of January have trended close to normal temperatures. This will moderate the impending encroachment of non-native life forms. On the other hand, this last week served as a reminder that "the times they are a changin’." Record highs were set throughout the region. I opted for a road run Thursday as the thermometer peaked at 55. Due to the absence of snow, a bike ride on the Wapsi Great Western Trail would have been equally enjoyable.

Mid-winter activities at Pinicon are following the normal routine sans snow removal. One of Ben's duties is supervising equipment maintenance.

He has a group of 5-7 Team members working on everything from semis and tractors to manure spreaders and leaf blowers. As our farm has become more diversified, so has our fleet.

We started hauling feed last January. Chief Mechanic Chris Adams has gotten a blast course in diagnosing feed trailer malfunctions. The risk that our animals run out of feed if not delivered on time brings a level of urgency to trailer down events that require immediate attention. As annoying as it is to be interrupted in the midst of a job, Chris has taken this challenge in stride.  Because most of the issues have been novice blunders, we expect fewer feed trailer emergencies in the future. Two new Walinga trailers coming next month will help the cause as well.  

Large frame tractors are getting extra attention this winter. In our zeal to be least cost, extending the life of our assets is crucial. Yet, there is a limit to how long we can preserve cost effective reliability. We inch closer to that cliff each season. We rather not cross the edge, but as they say, no guts, no glory. 

The ladies in the front office keep life interesting. Danni and Morgen planned a surprise Chinese New Year celebration for Elisha. Elisha has not been home to visit her family since 2019 and was feeling holiday withdrawal, from her cultural perspective.  As you may have noticed on Facebook, the office was decorated with "Year of the Snake" posters, balloons, napkins, calendars and candles when Elisha arrived to work Wednesday. They even had matching tees printed for a group pic. Never a dull moment.

The feed mill project is progressing slowly. Though I am unimpressed with the pace, I need to remind myself the complexity and uniqueness of this facility brings a degree of thought to each phase which is lacking in a cookie cutter design where every step is practiced and the finished product familiar. If it works as planned, we will quickly forget our frustration with the timeline. If it doesn't, what is the opposite of glory?

Forecasters say La Niña is back. They also say, due to its weakened state, anticipating how La Niña influences weather the next few months is a guess.  As Yogi Berra infamously may or may not have said, "Predictions are hard to make, especially about the future." No kidding.

Jim