The Good Earth

My daddy was a farmer, a good one who knew how to manipulate the elements in order to achieve agricultural success. He was well aware that all of the elements play their part and are necessary for growth but the most tangible one is the soil. I have seen him take a handful, smell it, work it and then let it run through his fingers back to the good earth from which it came. If it smelled sour, he would take loads of lime and spread them over his vast fields. If it clumped as he worked it, he knew it was too wet and he must have patience. Dry, lifeless soil alerted him to add living organisms. He would top dress the soil with aged manure, collected free of charge from his livestock, cows, sheep, horses, chickens. Nothing went to waste on the farm. Or he might know it was time to rest a field for a season, He would plant a cover crop which would grow and be plowed back into the soil to give it new vigor. He planted on faith that the rains would come, the sun would shine and the winds would be still, when the crop seeds were ripe. Heavy winds could take his seeds before he could safely harvest them. Next year he would start again and prepare his soil so that all elements could work together to insure success. Won 3rd