Mark April 25, 2017 on the Calendar!

Woo Hoo!  Gary finished planting corn on Tuesday, April 25, 2017!  This is the earliest he has EVER finished planting corn!!

Ok..now that you have joined in the excitement, there is a side note.  This year he planted just 20 acres of corn---in the field that he and Landon are planting so that Landon can still be farming with Papaw. 

Gary grew up on the family farm.  Over the years his role has changed from just helping with the field work to being a partner with his dad, then taking over the entire farming operation for many years.  The decision was made last summer that the fall would be his final harvest, much to the sadness of his sidekick, our 7 year old grandson.

Landon and Papaw have a very special relationship.  Not only does it bring Gary so much joy but I think it reminds him just a little of the few memories he has of riding in the truck with his own grandfather. 

The goal this week was to work the field on Monday, plant the field on Tuesday. Actually the plan was to work on these two tasks over the weekend when Landon was available, but the ground was too wet to do more than make just a couple of rounds with the disk, which Papaw did with both Landon and Cooper (but Landon actually was able to drive the tractor).

Yesterday when I called Gary from Lafayette, he was frustrated because he was having trouble with the tractor, with the planter, with the process.  My heart just sank because the last things we needed right now were repair bills, delays, and frustrations.  However, he called me during Landon's baseball game and relayed the magic words that every farm wife longs to hear "I finished planting!" and waves of relief flooded over me.

No repair bills because he was able to fix the problems himself.  No frustrations because the fields was finished on schedule and we would be able to leave for the trip to South Carolina with no worries.  Landon 's field was planted and now they would be able to walk out (or drive the pick up) to check the progress, watch for wet ground after rains, and anticipate the harvest in the fall.

Life is good.  And no matter how he looks at it, Gary did finish planting corn on April 25, 2017.