06/05/2019
One of my farmer friends wife posted this, to good not to share. ❤️
This is going to be a long one but PLEASE READ!!! I don't typically go into detail about our day to day farming operations because it's simply our "normal" and let's be honest, ya'll would much rather see farm pics featuring those adorable kiddos! In all seriousness though, life on the farm isn't always as happy and charming as the pictures may portray. My husband LOVES his profession and is so passionate about what he does. When something has been in your family for 5 generations, you can imagine the pride that comes with that but also the incredible pressure of keeping it alive and being able to pass it down to the next generation.
Long story short, this weather has been brutal...the rain, flooding, hail, tornadoes...it all has farmers all across the Midwest stressed beyond measure. On the days where he is rained out, I watch my husband pace through the house, staring out the windows in disbelief. He then drives around checking rain gauges and assessing the ponds that have taken over their fields. On the rare dry days we have had, I watch him leave the house when it's still dark outside, work all day switching from sprayer to planter to cultivator, and climb into bed after 20 hour day just to study the radar on the ipad so he can start stressing over the next system moving in. Farming is by far the most humbling of professions. You can do everything "right," everything in your power to ensure a bumper crop...but if Mother Nature has other plans, all of your hard work and meticulous planning that began the year before can go down the drain in an instant.
We are reaching a crucial point right now...things are getting scary. This crop has got to get in the ground! Yes, there is always crop insurance; however, it does not insure 100% of the crop and is NOT a replacement for a crop!
The farming industry has been hit particularly hard the past several years with unprecedented financial losses...so much that many family farms are having to exit the business. With low market prices, tariffs on ag products, rising interest rates, lower commodity prices, and high regulations is it any wonder why farmers are committing su***de at 5 times the rate of the rest of the population, even surpassing the rate of veterans?!
I'm not typing this post for pity, as our farmers aren't big on sympathy and handouts. I simply want you all to take a moment to remember the people behind the food on your table. Take a moment to acknowledge what these men and women endure and sacrifice to ensure that we have safe, healthy food and products to provide to people all over the world! Farmers across the nation are tired...physically, mentally, and emotionally so when you see a farmer grabbing his morning coffee at Casey's, shake his hand or at least give him a friendly smile. When you pass slow-moving farm equipment on the road, instead of muttering about the inconvenience, give them an acknowledging wave. And most of all...PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FARMERS. We are all dependent on them and their work affects us all in some way, shape, or form!
