This time of year, there is so much excitement on the farm. The air fills with the warmth of summer, the fragrance of new mown hay and the buzzing cacophony of bees. Colors of ripening raspberries, plums and cherries abound throughout the garden. It is important to remember during these busy weeks to take a few moments to keep your summer records. Yes, farm record-keeping … I know. Not as exciting as harvesting those first carrots and enjoying your fresh salad, or watching the rake turn the rows of hay.
But without solid record-keeping, homesteaders and farmers are hard pressed to improve their farm operations from year to year and really make a difference in their winter decision-making.
Why Is Record-Keeping Important?
Record-keeping can help find solutions for farm crop issues you encounter, such as when the cucumber beetles show up on your squash. You records will remind you of the timing of cherry harvests to make sure you have adequate labor ready in the future. You can even record simple musings and ideas for new farm builds (like a chicken house or new sheep management system).
When we take records as they occur, we leave ourselves the opportunity to follow up on this data when we have more time to schedule our crop plans, research our solutions and innovate our ideas!
There are many ways to keep records and a whole lots of fancy software. My experience has shown me that the simplest systems are the best. Here are my six favorite ways of keeping simple and effective records and how I use these to make highly effective plans for the next year.
Read more: Check out these homestead planners to get your growing organized!
Photos & Videos
Taking photos and videos of your farm operations is a useful way of record-keeping.
A photo or video can show you a precise problem, such as the caterpillar munching the leaves on the tree. It also locates the photo on your property or, if you are a landscape designer, on any property on which you work. And it will stamp the visual record with the date!
Keep in mind these important tips for using photos and videos:
- Keep it short and sweet, and show or say what is that you want to keep a record of. For instance, “Here is my Sweet Sixteen apple. It was planted two years ago and right now it is completely invested with a caterpillar”. You can add more information if you know the type of caterpillar or what you think you want to do to manage in the future. But a minimum you know which tree and what you are seeing and when and where it is occurring.
- Use photos or video as a way to jog your memory. Even if sometimes what you are recording is a well-known phenomena on your farm, a reminder can be invaluable….