Recently, my team and I traveled through North Eastern Oregon, where the landscape was dominated by vast wheat fields and towering windmills. As we drove through the countryside, I found myself wondering what goes into producing all that wheat. I soon got my answer, thanks to discussions with FFA members in various classrooms and hands-on experience in the field with Evan, an FFA member from Helix.

One of the most surprising things I learned was that farmers in this region only plant their fields every other year. The process involves planting, harvesting, mowing, and then letting the land rest, or “fallow,” for a full year. This fallow period allows the soil to regain moisture and prepare for the next planting season.

It made me think about the incredible patience required of these farmers. They manage thousands of acres, knowing that a portion of their land must sit unused for an entire year. But without this patience, they wouldn’t be able to produce a successful crop, or at best, they’d face very low yields.

About a month ago, after finishing the final prep for the leadership tour, I was absolutely starving. Desperate for food, I headed to the nearest place I could find—Walmart. Everything looked so good that I even tossed some sardines into my cart. But after getting home and eating some pizza rolls, I realized I didn’t even want half of the things I’d bought, especially the sardines. Springing instant regret.

This experience got me thinking about how often we face similar situations in life. Whether it’s something we want to buy, a change we want to make, an opinion we’re forming, or a vision we’re chasing, we often rush into decisions. Instead of waiting for the right moment, we settle for

something less. But what if, instead of forcing things to happen, we gave ourselves the time to step back, rethink, and regroup?

If I had taken a more mindful approach when I walked into Walmart, I might not have ended up with an excess of food I didn’t really want. This is a mindset we could all benefit from. Just like farmers let the soil rest between harvests to improve its quality, we, too, can let our minds “sit fallow” and refresh. In doing so, we gain clarity about the decisions we need to make and the best steps forward.

In life, patience often leads to clearer decisions and better outcomes, much like allowing soil to rest improves its quality and yield. By stepping back and letting things settle, we can avoid the regrets and align more closely with what we truly want.

Dale Nelzen

2024-2025 Oregon FFA State President