Depending on where you’re located in this great state, conditions vary, but overall the outlook is pretty bleak. And yes, it seems even more bleak than usual.

I watched them hunker down in the furrow, start scratching in the dirt. You know how a farmer does, using the handle of his pliers, maybe an old pocketknife or screwdriver. They find a few seeds right at the depth they want them to be. Pushing the dirt back over the seeds and patting it a little, they walk 50 yards farther into the field, start scratching again.

A simple pivot check proves that even the best “labor‑saving miracles” come with mud, timing and a little chaos.