Miseries and joys of mud season in rural parts of the U.S.

The brown slog and bog of a mud season driveway in
rural Wisconsin. (Photo by Donna Kallner, the Yonder)

As winter slowly gives way to spring, more northern rural parts of the U.S. enter into their own uniquely labeled time: Mud season. It requires tenacity, more than one pair of boots, and is -- just like you'd expect -- a dirty, slushy, sloppy, wet affair. Donna Kallner of The Daily Yonder writes, "Spring is still a ways off. Getting there is a slog."

Soldiering through days of muck and sludge "give us practice at being resilient," Kallner adds. "Mud season reminds us that we don’t persist just to collect a participation medal. We show up because that’s what rural people do." 

Kallner includes some tips about "showing up for our communities even when things get ugly" that are shared below.

January and February have passed, and mud season offers an opportunity to get together with friends and neighbors exiting hibernation. "So maybe we’ll plan to get the maple sapping crew together for a weenie roast in the woods," Kallner writes. "Bill makes a dandy homebrewed ale with Mike and Alice’s maple syrup. We should make some maple root beer soda, too. We all have sapping stories to tell. We’ll make it a party."

It's still cold outside, so taking time to enjoy indoor activities before gardening and fishing hobbies beakon can be good medicine. Kallner suggests, "It might be just more time spent watching basketball. March Madness gives us something to talk about besides politics and bear sightings."

Mud adventures and mishaps offer great distractions from the daily grind. "Stories about vehicles stuck in the mud are perfect (especially if someone else was driving). I like to open with the ruts the UPS driver left when he got stuck here," Kallner writes. "Then pass the baton. . . .If everyone is laughing, we all win."

It's time to think about the garden. "Northern gardeners in mud season are like baseball teams at spring training: Everything feels possible," Kallner adds. "We may not feel free to exchange some opinions with neighbors who vote for the other side. We will, however, share seedlings and fill cardboard boxes with clumps of lilacs and roses dug from our yards."

Mud season can be a time when shared experiences and even misery can help communities think about what brings them together. Kallner writes, "Just showing up for our rural communities won’t make our differences disappear. . . . But it’s a start."

Quick hits: The nuttiest ride on the road; be present for your neighbors; Roy the renegade farmer; heirloom seeds

The Nutty Cruiser is sharing joy and almonds as it tours the U.S. (Blue Diamond photo via Atlas Obscura)

You're driving down a lonesome stretch of American highway and there you see one of the wackiest rides ever made. It's Blue Diamond's “Nutty Cruiser” taking a road trip that celebrates everything about almonds. "This spring, a new giant food-shaped vehicle has rolled out of the shop," reports Anne Ewbank for Atlas Obscura. "The Nutty Cruiser, by the way, is a 20-foot-long almond on wheels." The Nutty Cruiser will be rolling down streets on this schedule. While you're at it, here's the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile travel schedule and the The Big Idaho Potato Truck travel plans.

The price of beef keeps climbing and meatpackers are doubling down to make sure nothing gets wasted. "U.S. meat companies are embracing 'white bone' programs, aiming to pick every carcass clean as they move down processing lines," reports Patrick Thomas of The Wall Street Journal. "America’s cattle supply is at its lowest level since 1951. . . . That has helped push cattle markets in Chicago to a record high in January, almost 20% higher than they were two years ago."

The late Imelda Gorman knew how to show up for
her neighbors. (Photo via Hoptown Chronicle)

One of the best things we can do for each other is to be present during good times and bad. In her Hoptown Chronicle essay, Jennifer P. Brown shares an inspirational glimpse of the late Imelda Gorman, a woman who excelled at the simple act of being there for others. "Imelda’s willingness to show up was the quality that I most admired in her. Over and over, she was present for her friends and for her community in small everyday moments and in big milestone events. . . . . Imelda made many of us feel like we were part of her family. She left us with an important lesson. It’s simple. Show up."

Roy Pfaltzgraff tossed conventional agriculture practices out his tractor window years ago. His non-conformist row crop operation "is set to push even further to the blade’s edge," reports Chris Bennett of Farm Journal. "In 2025, Pfaltzgraff intends to begin installation of a full-time, on-farm education center. Annually, he has six to eight research projects across his operation." Pfaltzgraff told Bennett, "We’re going to build an online community, Seeding Circles, that teaches farmers where and how to find markets and brings buyers to growers. I want to show people a way to recruit food companies and know what’s being asked for.”

Heirloom seeds can bring new joy and richness into any gardener's plot. "Heirloom seeds are fun to grow, but more importantly, these old cultivars play a role in global food security," reports Lisa Prater Foust of Successful Farming. "Seed Savers Exchange, based in Decorah, Iowa, is home to the largest non-government seed bank in the United States. Members and nonmembers of Seed Savers Exchange can participate in a seed swap program, and many varieties are available for purchase online at seedsavers.org."

As winter fades and spring emerges, all of nature begins to change. And while many people welcome the fleeting time when spring blooms all around, all changes come with some degree of tension. In her story for Hoard's Dairyman, Emily Barge reminds us to intentionally look for ways to reduce stress and increase enjoyment in daily life with these five steps:

• Take a breather outdoors and make time for mindful moments.
• Spend a few minutes just talking.
• Find ways to prioritize family time.
• Take a moment to be proud of your hard work.
• Celebrate the small victories.