CHAPTER SIX 



Making Plans That Work 



KEPHART says it is not the man out in the 

 woods in midsummer who is having the most fun: 

 it is the man at home in midwinter, planning next 

 summer's trip. By the same token it is not the fel- 

 low weeding the onions in July who is getting the 

 most out of his farm: it is the man who, in Janu- 

 ary, is planning what kinds and quantities of 

 onions to plant next spring. It is the essence of 

 farm work that, in the awkward phrase of Speng- 

 ler's translators, it is forever in a state of "becom- 

 ing" rather than of "being." Farming is never 

 finished, which doubtless accounts for the canard 

 that farmers always work from sun to sun. It may 

 be possible to run a farm well without the help 

 of a carefully worked out plan, but if it is I have 

 never seen it done. 



The job of selecting seed corn presents a good 

 illustration of the problems that overwhelm plan- 

 lessness. Toward the end of February or first of 

 March one goes to the corn crib and picks the best 

 ears for next spring's planting. How much shall 

 be set aside for seed? Apart from how much will 



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