January Farm News, 2026

January often feels like the longest month of the year, but time is flying over here on the farm and in the shop and warehouse. We've been heads down and hands busy getting lots done, and even more is on the docket!

Equipment care & repair

The farm crew's main focus during wintertime is going through every single piece of equipment and infrastructure we have. Each truck, tractor, combine, trailer, seeder, auger, and bin must be cleaned, evaluated, fixed, double-checked, and cleaned again—even the tools themselves. Our team of mechanics is about halfway through the list, and so far hasn't found anything hugely concerning or unrepairable (knock on wood). Their goal is not only to be ready for the upcoming spring work season, but also for summer operations all the way through harvest and even next fall's planting. Discussions are happening and decisions being made now, in January, regarding equipment replacement and upgrades for jobs that are nine or 10 months out—maybe we'll even bring a few new toys into the mix this year!

Field report

There is a long way to go before we can make any meaningful judgments about this year's crop of winter wheat, but the farm's owner Kevin Mader says that right now "the fields look freaking fantastic. The wheat is growing every day, I don't know if it could look any better!" (Again, everyone please knock on wood.)

The wheat has vernalized and rowed-up well, and if we get through the next couple of months without any disastrous weather (KNOCK. ON. WOOD.), we'll be in good shape going into spring planting. Kevin says more wheat dies in March than any other time of the winter because the days have lengthened and so the UV exposure on the fields has intensified. We've all felt the sun's radiant heat on our faces even when the air temperature is still quite cold; the plants and soil experience the same thing, and if there is a sudden cold snap they can "get totally hosed".

We're in a good spot in regard to field conditions and have enjoyed a nice, mild start to the winter. There has been quite a lot of rain on the Palouse this crop year (September 1-August 31), and in fact cumulatively we've received a bit more precip than average. After such a dry 2025 we are thrilled to see such healthy levels! Additionally, the intensity of the rainfall has been right in the Goldilocks zone and hasn't caused much erosion of the soil or washout of plantings. Even the local deer aren't inflicting much damage!

Planning spring planting

Our crop level and acreage density last year fulfilled all our needs, and we are intending to maintain the status quo for this coming season. The head honchos who decide this (Palouse Brand's owner Sara Mader, PB's operations manager Susan O'Callaghan, Palouse Trading's director Joe O'Callaghan, and farm boss Kevin Mader) don't have meetings about this so much as stream-of-consciousness phone calls and text threads; they have worked together so long that they're rather approaching a hive mind about it. This small but mighty team solicits data and feedback from all corners of the farm and warehouse as they map sales, project growth, plan expansions, and estimate required commodity volumes.

Happy New Year!

The turn of the year always feels significant, even if our day-to-day lives don't change all that much. Here at Palouse Brand, this year we've resolved to continually improve our methods of farming sustainably and responsibly; and to encourage you to feed your families healthy and delicious foods through education and engagement. How do Palouse Brand and Clear Creek fit into your life and on your table? What questions and thoughts do you have about our farm-to-table grains and pulses? The guiding philosophy of our company is "Imagine the conversations people are having about our products". Please don't hesitate to get in touch with us; we would love to join you in those conversations.

Cheers, friends! See you in the next one.