I like to save things. Souvenirs from trips. Notes from family and friends. Items that may be useful someday. I find it hard to part with objects that have sentimental value.

I also love taking and saving photographs. Now that most of us have a phone camera in our pocket nearly all the time, it’s easy to snap a picture whenever the opportunity arises. But with this habit of taking and collecting photos, I eventually found myself at maximum phone storage capacity.

I knew there were solutions to this problem, but instead, I limped along for quite a while, deleting a few apps here or a group of photos there. I was generally able to make room for the things I needed to, but it was not an efficient way to manage space.

When it came time to upgrade my phone, I got one with more storage capacity. I also finally took the time to connect to an online storage system to help hold onto these photo memories. Suddenly, I wasn’t scrambling to make room little by little. It was freeing to no longer be functioning at near capacity!

At a recent nutrient management conference, a dairy producer shared that one of the best moves their farm ever made was to build almost a year’s worth of manure storage. It gives them the flexibility to apply nutrients when they want to and not when they have to. He admitted that it was difficult to make an investment in something so expensive that doesn’t directly generate income, but it was necessary for them to achieve their nutrient application goals.

While many farms probably wish for ample manure storage, it is not always feasible. So, they must pursue other options, be it more frequent emptying or adding features like water collection or sand separation to reduce the volume going into the storage structure. It’s also important to have a plan in place for what can be done if storage nears full capacity.

This makes me think of basements or attics that tend to get filled with boxes and totes from each chapter of life. When that space gets close to overflowing, there are two options. A person can chip away at the project, pulling out a few boxes at a time to make room for new items, or they can do a major overhaul by sorting, cleaning, and rearranging the space. I guess a third option is to rent a storage unit – but that is an additional expense and likely just pushes the need to organize down the road.

This issue of the magazine has a bit of a manure storage theme to it, but there are plenty of areas on our farms and in our homes that can get too full. Maybe even harder to manage are the less tactical pieces of life. How often have you wished there were more than 24 hours in a day to get things done? When you are pulled in multiple directions, how do you decide what to do first? I like the philosophy of farmer Josh Waddell, whose manure system is featured on page 18. He looks for ways to improve the daily tasks on his farm to save time, and he encourages others to do the same. Time saved in one area of the farm can be delegated to another area, or maybe even better, could provide a few minutes for personal tasks or rest.

As I write about storage and capacity, I even think about the space in our brains. It can be difficult at times to clear enough space in our minds to focus on the task in front of us or make a big decision. But when our minds are jumbled and full of thoughts, even little projects seem more daunting. Much like we would manage a full barn or manure storage, we must find ways to organize our thoughts, make room for the important stuff, and let go of the things we don’t need or can’t change. It’s not easy, but if we don’t make room, eventually we’re dealing with an overflow situation.

Thank you for making time to read this issue of the Journal of Nutrient Management. I hope 2026 brings the space you need in your mind, your day, your home, and your manure storage.

Until next time,

Abby

This article appeared in the February 2025 issue of Journal of Nutrient Management on page 4.

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