Irony is wacky
Do things really happen by chance? I don’t think so. Although not easy to see, I believe we can hang our hat on reason. You may think I’m fishing for a connection, but farmers and ranchers should pay attention to how stars align with the Lenten season and Dr. Seuss. To me, it is incredibly ironic that the birthday of the author who created “Wacky Wednesday” fell on the same day this year as Ash Wednesday.
The world is wacky. So many things in agriculture seem upside down. It doesn’t matter what your favorite color of machinery is, you better be patient or have a magnifying glass because you will have trouble finding it. Not to mention, part shortages for current machines and implements. How about finding “good help”? That used to mean help with work ethic, commitment and reliability. Now, it is simply finding someone willing to help or work at all. What about the price of fertilizer and fuel or the market rates on a quality bull for your herd? Crazy. It may not be quite like Dr. Seuss and shoes on ceilings or floating windows, but it sure feels that way. At least a little.
How can Lent help us during these wacky times? Lent is different for everyone, but to me, it is about voluntary reflection and actively choosing what we can do differently. In other words, when things are wacky, we should reprioritize. Last week, I visited with alfalfa growers and agri-business owners about this concept. More than 200 farmers connected at Alfalfa U (www.alfalfau.com) where they sacrificed their time to learn from colleagues and industry leaders. They gathered to address challenges and identify opportunities to improve. One grower drove over eight hours to attend. Talk about commitment. Then at a farm show, I talked to several business owners about choices in the marketplace and how they determine what is a good investment. They talked about re-evaluation and that 2022 is a year they will be much more selective on which shows they attend. I concluded that the world’s wackiness has forced all of us to focus more on qualitative reason and to associate our choices with priority.
Now what. Well, rely on and trust the hat you wear. It has purpose. There is a reason you are a farmer or that you are a rancher. You are adaptable. Successful teams need utility players. They can occupy any position their team needs. That is you. An ag producer can get mud or grease on his or her hands, run a business, be an engineer, a sales professional, mechanic, chemist, equipment operator, a foreman and more. In other words, you don’t need auto-steer. You can apply emphasis and reprioritize where others can’t. From Dr. Seuss, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose!”
It’s OK to be wacky, but let’s put the cat back in the hat and use the next 40 days to reprioritize.
Zac Stuckey can be reached at 620-227-1833 or [email protected].
