As of today I am, more or less, half way done with planting my rice crop. Boy am I way behind! The one bright spot for me is knowing that I'm not alone, as all of my neighbors are in the same boat with me.

The weather has not been conducive to growing rice this year. Too cold, rice stops growing once the temperature dips into the 50's, and it takes a long time to warm the soil and water back up after these lows. So, we have a very short time during the day when rice will grow.

The most popular way to plant rice seed in this state is by airplane. The experienced pilots we work with have the latest technology to drop the seed into the field with tremendous accuracy.

These photos are of the pilot and crew getting ready to load the airplane with medium grain M-205 foundation seed. The big guy in the pictures is Nathan. He comes up from the San Joaquin valley for a month and a half every year to fly rice seed and help out the company I use, with the mad rush of planting this rice crop.

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Sean Doherty is a 3rd generation rice farmer living out his dream, being a rice farmer in Dunnigan.

He farms in Yolo, Colusa, and Sutter Counties with his wife Melissa, and three kids, Hannah, Gus, and Mary. He enjoys being in the fields, watching the seasons, and sharing it with his family.