The Last Word: Plant the Field You\u2019re In

Editor’s Notes by Ann Clinton, aclinton@iasoybeans.com

Priding myself in projecting optimism, I’m disappointed to admit the cold of winter has dampened my spirits a little bit. I love snow, but the crazy frigid temperatures have kept me inside more than I prefer. Popping vitamin D supplements like candy, I am so ready to feel some sun on my skin.

As I write this, hope for a warmer next week is in the forecast. It’s about darn time.

I am a runner and my training has been confined to treadmills most of the last few months. I keep telling myself I’m cultivating mental toughness, but I’m bored of the monotonous miles. I am just so ready to hit the pavement and chase down some goals.

However, some of the best running advice I’ve ever heard is, “Run the mile you’re in.” That little saying has become my mantra for staying grounded. Miles lie. They just do. Some are easy and enjoyable and some are painstakingly long and hard. One doesn’t necessarily predict how the next one will go. Throw in nature’s unpredictability and all bets are off.

The unknown is obviously what makes the challenge fun, but it’s also what makes progress inconsistent. If running has taught me anything, it’s that I need to trust the process. By moving forward, I will get to where I am going. Come what may because standing still won’t serve me.

Such is life.

I realize my running analogy seems a little trivial compared to your preparations for spring planting, but with a bit of imagination, I’m sure you can appreciate the parallel.

I’ve talked to several farmers lately who seem a bit stir crazy themselves, anxious to start the season. You’ve attended the winter meetings, you’ve analyzed your harvest data, you’ve got the plan in place to get rolling. It feels like it’s time for preseason training to wrap-up.

The editorial team at the Iowa Soybean Review has been working on content intended to help get you “race ready.” Our intent is to always provide information that will enhance your competitive edge. However, due to the nature of magazine production, deadlines happen way before we know what actual field conditions are going to be like. Mix in a trade war, and sometimes I feel like we are running in circles. But as experience has taught me, trusting the process is the best approach we can take.

My friends, I hope you are all ready for a successful season and that you can enjoy the calm before the storm.

May you plant the field you’re in.

P.S. I am seeking a little reader help, please. I’m looking for some unique human interest stories. I truly believe every farmer has a story to tell, so if you’d provide me with some leads on individuals who have made their mark on agriculture, I’d appreciate it.