The sound of the furnace stirs the instinct to simmer a pot of soup and bake a batch of cookies. In the farm office, the space heater motivates focus on tax planning, balance sheets and 1099s. The heater’s steady purr at my feet proves as therapeutic as the temperature to navigate those bookwork-laden days. When air-conditioning season arrives, I find myself bothered by the silence.
Heat keeps the farm running in winter – the cattle drinkers free of ice, the truck cabs a tolerable retreat for hauling corn and the shop free from cumbersome insulated coveralls. In 2015, our farm operations moved from the 1970s-era farm shop to a modernized one. Our employees who fix equipment most appreciated the basic comforts: indoor plumbing, better lighting and in-floor heat. Warm feet supported a comfortable body and the mental state to think clearly and work steadily. Work felt possible.
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But the warmth in winter’s work has less to do with the thermostat and a lot to do with the people we do this farming life with. People warm the farm – a team lunch hour around the table in the shop kitchen, kids working alongside us on school breaks and family owners gathering more often in the office with frozen or snow-covered ground outside. We share stories, work collaboratively on projects, and intentionally list and live the core values that guide our decision making. Even our shop cat appreciates the extra rubdowns with more humans around as field operations pause for winter.
We’re blessed by an outstanding team and supporting households who collectively make us excited for the future. Our daughter has a passion for plants and production, our son discovered his knack for mechanics alongside the most experienced hands in the business, and I watch my nephew and nieces discern their own interests and place in the work around them. Meanwhile, I remain grateful for working year-round with the people who raised me.
When the snow melts and spring arrives, the community sees tractors and planters rolling into the field. But few realize the most important work of winter wasn’t done by the row unit. It was immersed in the decisions made around the office, the camaraderie in the shop maintenance tasks and the relationships we strengthened through winter that naturally allots the time. Because the truest warmth comes from the people, the unified purpose and the values we choose to carry into every season.
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About the Author: Joanie Stiers farms with her brother and parents in west-central Illinois, where they grow corn, soybeans and hay; raise beef cattle and farm kids; and operate side businesses related to the family operation.
