February Farm Update
Dear Friend,
Yes, I know we are doing a February update in March. February was one of those months when time gets away. With all the sunny days, we spent most of our time outside getting an early start on spring work around the houses and helping with newborn calves (we have a ranch as well as a wheat farm).
Cold, foggy mornings make for spectacular sunrises on the farm.
Our calving season started 12 days early this year on February 3rd. For those of you that have been asking, our first calf was a little heifer (girl), and she is feisty as can be. A month later, we are about halfway through the season with over 100 newborn calves running about the farm. We love calving season. There is something about watching newborn calves take their first steps and watching week old calves chase the feed truck with their tails up in the air that makes you smile.
A seasoned mother cow with her newborn calf. Cows prefer to have their calves in padded areas like straw or even an a pile of tumbleweeds. It acts as a wind break and insulates the wet calf until the cow can clean her off.
This February was a very mild, eastern Washington February. February in eastern Washington is usually a wild card. It can either be mild or it can be when winter hits hard. In 2019 we were faced with a blizzard the first week of calving season, and the snow lingered well into March. We held our breath most of February this year, but February 2020 was the perfect calving weather.
February of last year we were covered in snow with single digit temperatures. We even had snow drifts over 6 feet in height.
The wheat has also appreciated the mild February weather. The warmer days have heated up the soil enough that the wheat is coming out of dormancy. This means that 2020’s wheat crop is getting ready to start growing.
February of this year. Blue skies, no snow, and wheat coming out of dormancy.
As we head into March, we will be starting field work. The purpose of field work is to prepare the ground for planting in August, similar to preparing a garden in the spring. I’ll be sure to share our adventures as we prepare the ground for 2021’s wheat crop.
Best,
The Sieverkropp’s