Despite the several feet of snow that insist on remaining on the ground in some parts of the Midwest, the calendar says that March 20 is the first day of spring! Many hopeful things are on everyone’s minds, but what does this day mean when it doesn’t look like spring outside?
For some people, you may be thinking about how this day marks the spring equinox. I recently learned that this is when the angle of the sun shifts from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere. It’s also a special day because it is one of two times when the sun rises due east and sets due west for everyone on Earth!
If you aren’t much of a science geek, then the beginning of spring might simply bring excitement for more daylight and warmth. It always brings me such happiness to see new life spring up in the world around me, especially once crops are planted.
Farmers everywhere are eagerly waiting for the moment when the ground has finally lost its frosty cover, and the soil has heated to just the right temperature to get seeds in the ground. Not only is this the perfect time to get excited about planting season, but this particular spring, I am excited about that changes and new things that are happening in my life. By the time the warm weather is in full swing, I will be graduating from college and trying to figure out my new career. For others, spring might bring events such as a house cleaning, upcoming weddings, or maybe something as simple as planting new flowers.
Whatever awaits you this spring, remember to take time for yourself, experience joy in the little things like a bit of green grass, and take in the longer hours of daylight.
Mikayla grew up near Osceola, Wis. She discovered her passion for the dairy industry while working on her neighbors’ Holstein dairy farm. That spurred her involvement in 4-H and FFA, and following graduation from Osceola High School, she headed to the University of Minnesota to pursue a degree in agricultural communication and marketing. During the school year, she worked as a website designer for the University of Minnesota department of animal science, and last summer, she was a farmer relations intern for Midwest Dairy. Peper served as the 2022 Hoard’s Dairyman editorial intern.
