Living Seasonally

One of the hardest parts for people that move to Colorado always seems to be the seasons. More than just about anywhere else, Colorado has very defined seasons. Now, they may not last as long as we would like and some last longer than others, but all 4 (or 5 if you count construction) are always present every year.

My wife is from central Texas and if you’ve ever been to Texas you know that “winter” isn’t really a thing down there; it’s just less hot in December and January. When she moved up here, we had one of the snowiest winters we’ve had in a long time. Over the next year, she got an excellent education on the quirkiness of Colorado weather but also how seasonal a place we are.

On our farm, we operate on the seasons as well. Spring is always when we ramp up and have all sorts of life around from piglets and chicks to lambs and calves. Even new growth in the pastures excites me! Summer is full of work and making sure that your animals are doing well. Fall is the time for butchering and setting up for winter. Winter of course is when we make plans for the spring, do repairs, and try to unwind a bit.

I have found, however, that it’s tough to grasp the seasonality of life both on the farm and off at a personal level. Usually in March I have cabin fever pretty bad and I’m itching for spring. By July I’m looking at cooler October weather and in January I’m looking at May. While planning is a good thing, there’s a lot to be said for just embracing the seasons and living seasonally. It’s ok to enjoy a fresh snow fall as much as it’s good to get excited when the first strawberries show up. I’ve learned that February is a great time to fix machinery, build shelters, and plan pasture rotations. It’s not a great time to pound in t-posts, dig water lines, or anything else that requires dirt to be moved.

I’ve also been trying to embrace the seasons off the farm as well. My boys are now 4 and 2 which is a great season of life to be in with them. They are becoming independent in some areas, able to play together more, help with some small chores like getting eggs, and it’s fun to have conversations with both of them.

Learning to live seasonally is not an easy road, but for sure it is a very rewarding one.