Agriculture
Since the 1960’s, Agriculture has been a big part of Springhill Colony’s economy. A variety of equipment, a few different managers, and many tractor, and combine operators have helped make sure the business is successful. It has been a big challenge for everyone that has held a part in the agricultural business.
Agriculture is one of the most important means of survival in Springhill, and is a very worthwhile source of income. Agriculture accounts for 1/3 of our entire income. David Wollmann has been the farm boss since 1991. He took over the job from the retired John Hofer, farm boss of 17 years. The role of the “farm boss” is very important, as well as being a hard-working job.
There are many hassles associated with being a farm boss. One of the biggest hassles, are long working hours all the time. “While most people can shower and relax at 8:00 P.M, I have to stay up and keep working late into the night. Most people can sleep long, while I have to get up early often enough” laughs David.
There are also dangers included in the job. “My biggest fear is the huge machinery, that could seriously hurt, or even kill someone, if operated carelessly, and not maintained correctly. Fatigue is also a concern, especially with rookies. I always like to think of safety first,” said David.
Despite many dangers and hassles, there are also many things David likes about the job. “I really like all the fresh air that I get while on the job. It’s very enjoyable to watch nature grow, and I also enjoy watching nature do its thing,” said David.
David also faces many challenges in the job. A marketing plan has to be in place, in case you can’t get the price for your grain that you desired. “You’ve got to sell your grain in stages, some in summer, some in fall, some in winter, and some in spring.”, said David. We have a lot of land, that has to be looked after precisely, and without error. “All the planning that has to be done is one of my greatest challenges. For everything that gets done, a good plan has to be developed,” said David. The success in farming depends a lot on how precise everything is planned.
There have been numerous changes to the job in the last 15 years. “The biggest change that has occurred in my time would be the computer era, which is much more difficult because in most of the machinery today, everything has to be done through a computer. Everything you do has to be recorded on a computer, and because everything is computer on the field, you always have to look after the rookies much more than normally before. Global-Positioning-Systems are a challenge as well, but they help out quite a bit too.” stated David. One of the main things GPS is used for is tractor and sprayer guidance. Without GPS, overlapping would occur when spraying and seeding.
A lot of things have changed in Springhill since 1974. “Our agricultural land has doubled” stated John. We now farm close to 9000 acres. “Farming was even more profitable back then, than it is today. The crops were worth a lot more than they’re worth today. In the 1980’s we were farming, corn, wheat, alfalfa, barley, and canola was just starting to come around. “We had Gleaner combines, one air seeder, and some John Deere equipment, stated John.
In the past, agriculture has been very important to the economy of Springhill. However, with the associated challenges getting greater, as well as the constant decline of grain prices, I predict the impact of agriculture, in Springhill, will be less in the future.
Brendan Wollmann
