Plant2023: Seeds in the Ground

By Spencer Miller and Jennifer Cole, Public Affairs Specialists

May 25, 2023

As farmers wrap up their planting for crop year 2023, we’d like to take the occasion to thank and celebrate them for doing the hard work we all depend on. Their perseverance and courage in the face of uncertainty and challenge provides our nation with food, fuel, and fiber.

Special thanks to the many farmers who reached out to participate in our #Plant23 social media campaign. We loved seeing your photos and stories, and we are happy to share them with the world. Here are some of the farmers who planted this year's crops:

Rocking H Meyer Farms, Inc (Texas) shared several pictures of planting cotton using minimum- and no-till practices.

Tractor plowing field — Rocking H Meyer Farms, Inc. planted this year’s crop of cotton in Texas. They farm and ranch on about 2,700acres, and over the last three years they have transitioned to minimum-till and no-till practices.

Arely and David Kloss (Alabama) of Circles of Colors Flower Farm planted a variety of bulbs that will blossom into vibrant flowers for beautiful bouquets.

plowed field and flower bouquet — Arely and David Kloss of Circles of Colors Flower Farm planted many rows of diverse bulbs that will blossom into vibrant fields of flowers.

Amber Bowler (Missouri), along with her family and friends, fulfilled her long-time dream of starting a blackberry farm by planting over 2,200 blackberry bushes.

Unplanted plants, people planting plants, plants in ground — Amber Bowler from Springfield, MO is starting a blackberry farm in Greene County that is aptly named Amber Lane Farm. She and her family and friends recently planted over 2,200 plants on two acres

Kipp Fehr (Iowa) planted corn into strip tilled stubble.

Red tractor in field — Kipp Fehr planted corn into strip tilled bean stubble near a farm in Cylinder, IA. Kipp has been strip tilling since 2014 and has seen less erosion and better soil health due to this conservation practice.

Pam Paullin (Oregon) replanted thousands of trees after her forest land was devastated by wildfire.

Person sitting with dog on a tree stump — In the years since a 2020 wildfire consumed much of her land, Oregon resident Pam Paullin has worked with Farm Service Agency and other partners to plant thousands of trees in the affected area.

Daria Novak (Virginia) is growing mushrooms used for health supplements.

Picked mushrooms sitting on table — Daria Novak of Mushroom Maiden Farms, LLC in Lovettsville, VA grows mushroom spores under sterile conditions and then grinds the mature mushrooms into supplements.

Not only are #OurFarmers providing us with the food, fuel, and fiber we all depend on – many are doing so using #climatesmart practices that help conserve our precious topsoil, water quality and quantity, and air quality.

Congratulations to these farmers and the many others who we couldn’t feature. Their combined efforts form the foundation of our society. We look forward to featuring the fruits of your labor later this year during our #Harvest23 campaign.

Spencer Miller and Jennifer Cole are Public Affairs Specialists in USDA's Farm Production and Conservation mission area.

Plant 2023: Seeds in the Ground

You May Also Like

Helping to Lower the Risks, Now and into the Future

Born to Make a Difference: The ‘Grandmother of Juneteenth’ Feeds Her Community

Explore Categories