Now that I have all the rice planted I’m able to slow down a little bit. Sunday finally becomes a slow day again, and that will mean some quality family time just in time for Father’s Day.

On Sundays this time of the year, I usually cook a good breakfast for everyone before I go out to check on the fields.

I really look forward to riding around on Sundays because my kids Hannah and/or Gus usually ride along with me. (Mary will get her turn soon enough, but she’s only six months old.)

When my children ride with me, I quiz them on what kind of crop is growing in each field we pass, and they keep a keen eye open for wildlife that we can stop and look at. I have to keep two pairs of binoculars in my pickup so they won't fight over them. We talk about rice and farming and a myriad of other things riding along in my dirty pickup.

It’s nice to finally get to spend a little more time with them, and these simple, special memories are one of the perks of being a dad.

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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.

Read more about Sean in Rice Farming magazine.