Skiing and Agriculture: Weather Dependent

  It was a strange mid February ski day at Greek Peak.  In the midst of President's Week vacation the area has been struck with rain and near 70 F temperatures.  Only a small number of brave souls were out on the slopes.  I think I was the only geezer there. 
   Because I had no geezer companions to converse with on the lift, I had plenty of time to muse about the impact of weather on the ski resorts both presently and over all.  My childhood and teen years on the farm also brought back many memories of the impact of weather on the productivity of our crops and orchards.  There are a multitude of similarities of  the ski business and agribusiness.  If it doesn't snow it is hard to attract skiers and boarders.  If it doesn't rain at the right time on the farm, crops fail and income declines.   Both events can be mitigated, albeit at some cost to the businesses.  Making snow demands equipment, labor and energy as does agricultural irrigation.   Also their can be similar unmanageable weather that forgoes those mitigation's.
    Another similarity between the ski resort business and agribusiness is the wide swing in income from year to year.  On the farm we experienced feast and famine.  One year we would have great weather and bumper crops.  The next year could be a disaster from hail and wind storms and or pests and diseases.  Likewise there can be a year of great snow and conditions for a ski area followed by a year or sometimes two of a snow drought. 
     My geezer group of friends often get into a bitching session about the ski conditions and the vagaries of the management of the ski area.    Sometimes we are a bunch of crotchety old men.  When this happens, I wish I could be more positive in reminding ourselves that we are just blessed to be able to ski in our most senior years and we don't have the headaches of the ski area operators.   Again I am reminded of my farm background, that when bad things happen, the  tough get going and remain optimistic that next year will be a better year.   May it be so at my local ski area.   We truly are due for some fabulous ski seasons after the bummers we have had over the last three.
      There is an old joke about a farmer inheriting a fortune who was asked, "How long will you keep farming?"   The answer,  "Until the fortune is all gone!"  Seems like that is what is happening in East with ski resort operators now!