Farmer
Why I am a Farmer
They say that you can’t choose your fate, that your fate chooses you – that your destiny and life is predetermined for you. One could argue that this is true when it comes to farming and me.
Working in the corporate world, I often get comments such as “you don’t look like a farmer,” “why are you a farmer,” “Is there good money in farming,” and my favorite: “farmers don’t wear stilettos or dress like you.” Yes, I’m not your typical farmer, but then again who is? I come from a long line of farmers and choose to carry on the family tradition. No, my parents and grandfather did not pressure me into doing so. No, I do not have some trust set aside in which I get compensated handsomely if I do farm (don’t I wish!). I chose to be a farmer, rather it chose me.
Farming isn’t for everyone. Its long hours for often little margins. There are no vacation days, sick days or people to cover your shifts. Often it requires manual, physical labor and dedication that you don’t see in a typical 9 – 5 job. Sometimes it’s messy, dirty and smelly and the outcomes aren’t always what you hoped. There are no stock options or fancy compensation packages. There is no notoriety or front page articles on The New York Times. There are good days and bad days and days where you wish you had a different job. Sounds glamorous right?
I am a farmer for the love of the animals and the produce we yield. To be able to provide the public with a high quality product and be able to see their reaction when they are ecstatic over what they just experienced. To be able to educate people about my lifestyle, history, and my way of life. To know that you helped grow and nurture something wonderful, that all started from a small molecule. To do a job where the fulfillment comes back to you ten times and the emotional rewards are endless – that is why I am a farmer.
Why You Should Hire a Farmer
One of the most frequent questions I get is “where did you get your work ethic from?” Typically I respond “from my parents.” A true statement, however, it wasn’t until my corporate career that I really thought about that question and what it meant. I concluded that my parents instilled that value, though, the tool they used was the farm.
While most kids spent Saturday mornings watching cartoons, I was down at the barn mucking stalls and feeding cows. Then it was time to walk cows as part of my 4-H project. It wasn’t until 11am that I was able to go back inside and “relax.” When I was older, I would take care of my 4-H projects before going to school, then after the conclusion of my school and my sports. Rain, snow, wind or lighting- it didn’t matter as the cows (and pigs) depended on me. My story isn’t different from many of my farming friends and those many people who proudly call themselves farmers.
Farmers don’t work a typically “9-5” job. They work many hours often being on call and ready for anything. Their work week doesn’t stop at forty hours. They are the type of people first in the office in the morning and last out at night. They understand that to get results, hard work and determination is essential.
Farmers are resourceful. They know how to take little resources and turn them into amazing results. It could be seeds that transform into a crop or turning broken equipment into functional. On top of that they know how to maximize their time as the work of a farmer is never done. Prioritizing is second nature.
Farmers are great business people. In the farming industry there are often slim margins and little returns. To be successful in the industry, farmers have to take a dime and make it into a dollar. They have to be their own marketing agents, financial professionals, bankers, and investors. To survive, they have to know every inch of their business and how to get the most of out of it.
Why should you hire a farmer? Farmers are the quintessential employee. Their loyalty, knowledge, dedication and compassion are just some the qualities they possess. They rival the work ethic, understanding, and talents of some of the top CEO’s. Should a resume ever come across your desk with the title “farmer,” make sure hire them – a decision you won’t regret!
The High Heeled Farmer 