A Year in the Life of a Farmer

Most people know that fall is harvest time, and spring is time for planting, but do you know what farmers are up to the rest of the year? Hint: It’s not lounging on a tropical beach. Here’s a seasonal look at their annual calendar.

Spring

South Dakota soybean farmers plant around 5 million acres of soybeans each spring. That’s equal to about 3.8 million football fields.

Summer

Farmers spend this time of year managing weeds and pests in their fields and making sure their soybean plants have everything they need to grow. Just like tending to a garden, farmers constantly monitor their fields for outside competition from insects, diseases or weeds.

Fall

More than 230 million bushels of soybeans are harvested each fall in South Dakota. That’s about 13.8 billion pounds of soybeans. Those soybeans are used in animal feed, biodiesel, food and bioproducts like plastics, crayons and other household items.

Winter

Most soybean farmers spend the winter planning for the next year and making repairs to their equipment. Raising animals is less seasonal, so South Dakota livestock farmers maintain their year-round animal care duties while keeping a special eye on their animals to ensure they stay warm and comfortable.