By Julie Tomascik

The sights, smells and sounds of agriculture are alive in the spring.

The days get a little longer. We have cool mornings. Warm days. A little humidity—after all, it is Texas. And gorgeous sunsets.

Spring is a time of renewal, a season of growth and a chance to rejuvenate the soul.

It’s one of my favorite seasons in agriculture for these top 5 reasons…

5. Green as far as the eye can see. The grass is growing. The trees are full with leaves. Corn, sorghum, soybeans, oats and cotton are dancing in the fields.

4. Wildflowers sway with the wind. Colors of every hue cover the roadsides. Pinks and purples. Blues and reds. Yellows, oranges and shades in between. Those colorful blankets of flowers shine in the sun and catch your eye as you drive by.

3. There’s an orchestra of sounds. Tractors rumble. Planters rattle. And ranchers softly call their cattle. Who needs the Sound of Music when you can have the Sound of Agriculture?

2. All the smells! Fresh cut hay. Rain showers. The smell of sun baking the soil, warming the roots and helping the crops grow. It’s Mother Nature’s own aroma therapy.

And finally…

1. Calving season. Newborn calves on wobbly legs try to explore the world. And fall a few times. With their protective mamas never too far away.

As a little girl, I’d sit in the fields, soaking up the sun and the smell of the black dirt that surrounded my home. Now, more than 20 years later, I have a stronger appreciation for spring. For the crops and livestock. And for the farmers and ranchers, like myself, who work the land.

The fields that started as a blank canvas now have new life in this spring season. The Texas countryside is a masterpiece. And the farmer is Picasso himself.

There’s no prettier place than Texas in the spring. And that I know for sure.