By Jackie Mundt, Pratt County farmer and rancher
Planting season has begun, and it has the feel of opening day of a long-awaited sports season. Months of preparation lead to this moment. Equipment has been inspected and repaired. Seed has been selected. Crop nutrient plans are mapped out. Weather forecasts are studied with the intensity of a coach reviewing game film. When conditions are just right, the plan is put into motion.
Spring planting, wheat harvest and fall harvest all carry the same sense of urgency and excitement that fans feel before kickoff. Farmers know what it means to prepare for a big season.
A few weeks ago, I saw a video that made me laugh out loud. A farmer was driving his planter around “the neighborhood” with no intention of planting that day. He was simply trying to prank his neighbors into thinking it was time to start. Once one planter hits the field, everyone else suddenly feels the urge to do the same. It becomes an unspoken competition.
Now imagine those same farmers are coming off a few losing seasons.
Farmers know better than anyone that success is never guaranteed. They can make every correct decision and still face drought, hail, disease, breakdowns or market swings beyond their control. They can invest heavily in a crop only to watch circumstances change overnight. Yet every spring, they climb back into the tractor and begin again.
That kind of faith is difficult to explain to someone outside agriculture. Farming requires science, discipline and careful planning, but it also requires belief. Farmers must believe the seed they place into the ground today can become something far greater tomorrow. They must trust that hard work still matters even when outcomes are uncertain.
Recently, I attended the funeral of a local farmer and community pillar. I don’t think I will ever forget the analogy used by the officiant. He spoke about his life not in terms of accomplishments, but in terms of his investment. His kindness to strangers was an investment. Teaching young people was an investment. Supporting community events, organizations and schools was an investment. He spent his life pouring time and energy into things he believed would matter long after he was gone.
He lived his life as a farmer of more than crops.
Every acre planted is an investment in the future. Farmers invest money, labor, time and hope into something they cannot fully control. They do it because they believe there will eventually be a harvest worth gathering.
That lesson applies far beyond agriculture. Communities do not thrive by accident. Strong families, healthy towns and meaningful relationships all require someone willing to invest first. Encouragement is an investment. Mentorship is an investment. Showing up for neighbors and supporting local organizations is an investment. Like farming, many of those efforts do not produce immediate results. Sometimes the payoff is not visible for years.
Still, we keep planting.
That may be why planting season resonates so deeply, even with people who have never driven a tractor. It reflects something universal about human nature. We all want to believe that what we do today can create something better tomorrow.
Farmers understand that better than anyone. Every spring, they demonstrate resilience in its purest form. No matter how last season ended, each planting season brings fresh determination and renewed hope.
That is the real lesson of planting season. The actions that we take today are seeds that will yield a better tomorrow — and all it takes is one person willing to start investing for others to follow.
“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.
