The smell of freshly plowed soil, what a wonderful smell.  If you have ever lived in the country or drivien through it in the spring, you cannot forget that wonderful smell that fills the air.  The warmth of the sun, the ideas of a new beginning, and the future are all tied to that wonderful smell.  That is my favorite time on the farm, it is a chance to put the past behind us, forget about bad crop years and dream of what is going to happen in the upcoming months.  Fields turning from the greys of winter to the brown of freshly tilled earth, soon to be green with crops that will help feed this country and the world.  I belive that it is the most exciting time to be on the farm, putting your faith in the seed to come up, God to deliver the rain needed to raise the crop, and the promise of an abundant harvest that will provide for my family.    

This photo was taken out of the tractor a few weeks back when I caught some spare time to plow a field up for our produce operation.  Most people cannot see the beauty of this, but as the cold air blows through this winter and the rain or snow keeps falling, this is an image of hope for my farm in 2012.  We will be starting over, considering the past, and looking at the bright future for our farm and American Agriculture.   So as your travels take you through the countryside of America this spring, just take time to enjoy the beauty and smells that make it a special place for those who live there.