“The days may be long, but the weeks are short….”
by Gyce Butler
That is 100% on point for the Butler Farm, when it comes to summer.
Even though the days were long and busy, the weeks flew by. Honestly, it seems like it was just Easter. My wife, Ashley, and I were reflecting on the last few months of events at the farm to just life in general, and it amazes me how many things we crammed in to just a few months.
From Easter through summer, we hosted over 300 people at our farm. Kid’s fishing day, birthdays, holiday events, and a senior adult’s fish-fry are just a few that come to mind. We made a lot of memories, invested in some friendships, and all the while had a ton of fun. It didn’t all come without some hard work. Have you ever found it takes longer to clean up after an event than it does to set up for one? We are very thankful God has blessed us with this season, and we are going to do our best to honor Him to the best of our ability.
The first of the summer brought a ton of rain and, to be honest, there were times that I was tempted to want it to stop, but I knew better. It has been several years since I saw our pastures look as good as they did all summer. With the amount of rainfall we had, our yields in the hay fields were awesome. I know of fields producing over 4 rolls of hay to the acre. Not only did the rain help our hay fields, but our cattle did great through the summer. By the time August rolls around, we typically have pretty good-sized calves on their mama’s. They can take a toll on their mamas, as far as milk requirements. The mamas are trying to eat enough to maintain body weight and also grow a big baby. It is hard to do that when the grass is dry, short, and doesn’t contain much nutrients. This August was different. Our calves grew big, our cows maintained their weight, and the grass held its own due to good sub moisture through most of the summer. I am thankful for the hay we have for the winter months, but I don’t miss the long evenings moving hay out of the fields. My wife is a saint for hauling hay with me. She would drive the truck and trailer, and I would load with the tractor. Don’t let the blonde hair and blue eyes fool you. She can haul 8 rolls at a time with the best of them. When we get into the “heat” of things during the summer with farm activities, the fishing gets put on the back burner, but I am looking forward to fall.
I love the fall as the days get shorter and the evenings have that magical coolness in the air. The fishing is good without getting fried from the scorching sun. This time of year, the bass are beginning to move up shallow and chase baitfish to fill up before winter. Some of my biggest fish have come in the fall. Our fish should have some added size to them, and you can bet I will be doing an inventory with a chatterbait in hand. Also, it is not just the bass that get more active. Our crappie will be a lot easier to catch. We have a point on our lake, and when there is a South wind, it creates a current and splits the point. With a pending cool front, I have pulled up on and casted across the point and pulled in a crappie cast after cast. Our fish feeders will remain running until the end of November to give our fish an extra “bump” before winter.
As busy and demanding as summer was, it seems like it was over in a blink of an eye. My daughter, Haley, and I were shooting a Lowe Tractor commercial at the first of August for football season, and it dawned on me how fast summer has gone. We typically squeeze in our commercial shoot right before she goes back to school, and as I was standing on the back of the boat watching Haley “do her thing” in front of the camera, it hit me. She is going to school as a sophomore in high school. Yes, the weeks are short.
As I sit in my office wrapping up this article, it is the first day of school in Henderson. Haley and I did our morning routine as we have done since she was in preschool, but this time is a little different. This will probably be the last year I get to take her to school as she will be driving next year. At times, it is difficult for me to stay focused on soaking up every moment due to the business and demands of day-to-day life, but it is the reminders like today that reset my focus. Parents with little ones, the days (& nights) may seem long, but I assure you the weeks are short. Soak up every moment you have. The television show can wait when they want you to play or read a book. The house duties can be put off, most of the time, if they want to go outside to play or go fishing. I guarantee you there will be no regrets on spending too much time with them while they are young. Soak it up.
