Why You Should Hire a Farmer

Posted on December 12, 2013

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!