Spring is the most forward thinking and optimistic time of the year for our operation. We had the surge that comes from completing the bull sale, calving and bull delivery, and the promise of getting to grass and slower times. And spring also means the three wettest months of the year for us, and nothing improves attitudes like a good rain. For a whole host of reasons, spring is a special time of the year for cattlemen.

I used to think it was the new calves, the green grass, the chance to ride again as winter gave way to more hospitable weather, and the excitement and fun that was associated with making matings for the next few years.

But it dawned on me today that probably the biggest reason I love springtime is that because our operation demands so much time that I kind of disengage from all the bigger picture things. I don't follow the news faithfully and I don't even listen to sports, as the new football season is still a ways off. It is the one time of the year where I simply take the cattle market as being what it is.

Spring is about preparing for the future and dealing with the knowns that we have in the business. It is pure, it is simple, it is free of distractions and more than anything, spring is simply about cows, horses and people. That is really what drew me to this business.

I know summer will eventually take over and markets, weather, government policies, bankers, cash flow concerns and dealing with the plethora of unknowns will move back to the forefront. But spring is about the future; it is about optimism and it is about cows, family, friends and all the immediate concerns that my actions can positively influence.

Spring will forever remain my favorite time of the year.