The Spring of 1999 was the beginning of our farming career and our first production crop. For the previous 5 years all fields on the farm had been left fallow so the fields required a fair amount of work prior to planting our crop. In preparation for planting the tobacco, we first plowed the fields to turn the weeds under, then we disced the fields to break up the weeds, and finally we dragged the fields to smooth the surface.

Coming from a Computer Consultant background, we never had a project requirement for plowing, discing and dragging so needless to say, neither of us knew a thing about this. Our neighbor and mentor, Alvin Kirkpatrick, taught us how to plow, disc and drag the fields. The thing I learned most from Alvin about plowing was how to "fill your dead furrow". A "dead furrow" is the trench left by your turning plow which should be filled in to prevent erosion. Alvin taught me by allowing me to plow his fields while we were both on his tractor. We could never have had such a successful crop without Alvin's help and guidance - thanks Alvin!