Planning Season
Despite the fact that the hours of daylight barely exceed night and March 21st is sixty days away, I would argue winter is the season with potential for the most impact.
Due to the lack of time sensitive field operations, our attention turns to in depth evaluation of our methods. Often, we discover things we can do better.
We don't consider ourselves perfectionists. Just ask us. Expecting perfection is a recipe for frustration. "Better" is achievable. We can be satisfied with what we've done while not being complacent. Picture the professional, the tradesman, the artisan who dedicates their life to mastering their craft. That is the practice we aim to replicate.
Most of our peers in the crop production business see this opportunity as well. However, as beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, the same can be said for strategies intended to foster internal growth. Networking, attending conferences, travel and business development are all worthwhile interests that can be motivationally and creatively beneficial. Sometimes a two-month sabbatical at a warm destination is needed to recharge the emotional batteries. Then there are those of us whose muse is our work.
We had our first Pinicon Leadership meeting of the year last week. Among other agenda items was '26 Capital Purchases. Rock buckets for skid loaders and updating dryer controls were given the same importance and consideration as the 10X big ticket items. Finding solutions that work best "here" can take years of trial and error. Having decision makers who are "hands on" helps too.
We are studying our organizational structure to determine if a dedicated Quality Control and Logistics position is feasible. At a certain scale this is a necessity. We are not there. At the same time, we can rationalize how the benefit could exceed the cost. Tabled for further debate.
Two and five year initiatives were on the agenda. Staying focused on near future priorities keeps us from being distracted by the opportunity du jour. Some thrive on traveling far and wide to uncover the next big thing. Our MO is to put on the blinders and make sure our beloved creation is cared for and headed down the right path.
Next meeting we'll review field specific P&L's, per unit production costs, planting window effects on yield, and a number of other useful metrics. While timeliness is critical to growing season success, winter offers the freedom to be introspective, creative and intensely analytical.
Good chance we will be in the field ninety days hence. There is much we could do between now and then to make this growing season our best. We'll work to implement the most valuable ideas and have the fleet ready when conditions allow. Just because we can't be out in the field working the land, doesn't mean winter days are a waste.
Jim