It’s interesting to me that lately conversations that start with “I have always wanted to be a farmer” end with “It’s just not set up for new or small farmers to succeed”.
I have had a list a mile long given to me of the hurdles one would have to overcome to become a farmer. To be honest, I don’t think people expect my response when I say, “well it doesn’t sound like you are cut out to be a farmer anyway” or just this past week when I let them know they should probably find another dream.
Now I know what you might be thinking, I might have been slightly rude. You are probably right. So stay with me just a second while I explain to you why I wasn’t putting on my cheerleading skirt and waving my pom poms for these folks.
Six years ago, there was a man who decided that he was finally going to chase that dream of becoming a farmer. Everyone thought he was crazy. Some probably thought it was just a “phase” he was going through. Many probably thought he would never even start the process to becoming a farmer.
So when the following year came and that same man was moving away from his hometown, buying cattle and starting when others were selling out. I can guarantee you that many people were placing bets on how long this man would or wouldn’t last. I would venture to guess many didn’t think this man would last past the first winter little lone the first year.
Fast forward five years, that same man is still farming. Five years of blood, sweat, tears and many days wondering why on earth he ever wanted to be a dairy farmer in the first place. Every morning regardless of what life has thrown his way, he gets out of bed and takes on the day. When equipment has burned and insurance wouldn’t cover it, when both tractors were stuck in the fields, when employees quit all at the same time, when he has to pull the trigger to end the life of his own animals, when the bills are higher than the income, when he feels like there just might not be any more he can take… he gets up and gets after it. Why? Because his dream has always been to be a dairy farmer. This is what he has always wanted, he is living his dream, he has no intentions of quitting and every intention of making sure not a single bet is cashed in on by others.
He is a first generation dairy farmer. He had all the odds stacked against him. Next year is not promised, heck next month things could go South. Farming is unpredictable. You cannot let the mental list of what could go wrong get in your way because you are too busy dealing with what already went wrong.
So if you cannot get past the voices in your own head telling you that you can’t, then they are probably right; you can’t. If all you do is talk about how it is not in the cards for you instead of putting it all on the table then you are probably not cut out to do whatever it is that you have always wanted to do.
Dreams are meant to be chased, doesn’t mean they will just be handed to you, you will have to work for them. If you want it, go after it. Could you fall flat on your face? It’s most certainly possible. It could happen to any one of us at any given time but at least we tried, right?
So if you want to be a farmer or whatever it is that you want to be, go do it. Get out of your own head and just do it.
I can honestly say that with a whole lot of blood, sweat, some tears & a whole lot of relying on God that you too can become a farmer.
Ok, that would be a whole lot of tears if you are anything like me.
Krista Stauffer
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I LOVE this article!! Great job expressing your little families struggles all the while reaching your goals and dreams! I have a similar story and it always frustrates me that people think where they get in life is some kind of luck. I always want to scream , “it is hard work people, not luck!!” Congrats to you also!! Your husband isn’t the only one working hard, I am sure of it 🙂
I want to wave my pom poms for you guys after reading this! I know to well the struggle with employees, more output in the bank account than input, losses due to animal deaths or weather, late nights, hard work (the list goes on and on). It takes a special kind of person to get out of bed every day and face the hurdles without giving up. This is the reason it makes my blood boil when I hear people say grain farmers like to use GMOs because they are lazy. I really don’t think there is a farmer on the planet who is still in business and is ‘lazy’. It can not be in your vocabulary if you are going to succeed! Thanks for writing this post.
Thank you! I can only imagine what you guys go through. Lately it seems the big one for us is our cows are only dollar signs to us. People just do not understand. Sadly, many do not want to. That is why I focus my time/attention on those that truly want to know the truth.
I agree with these comments. Any farmer than is sticking with it has to want to do it. It is a 24/7/365 days every year job. There is NO going on strike for higher wages, barely able to take a vacation, and the whole family makes sacrifices for the farm but from my point of view (4th generation farmer) there is no better way of life to raise a family!
Fourteen years ago my husband and I bought his parents dairy farm. the barn had stood empty for three years. I was an at home mom who grew up in a nearby small town and had some “romantic” notions about living on a farm. It was exciting and scary all at the same time. There was little outward support from friends and family. We were followed by questions of finances and mental stability. the sincerest support I received was from the wife of a retired farmer/seed dealer. She had ridden along with her husband when he came calling on our farm. I had never met this woman before, but she wished us luck and told us we would have a good life on the farm. And it is a good life. You can’t imagine the strain of dry summers, trying to get harvest done or stretching the milk check, unless you’ve been there. But it was a chance worth taking. There are no guarantees. The company my husband had worked for is closing. Our three daughters have grown up a lot since we moved 14 years ago. Two are in high school and one in college. having the farm allowed me to be an “at home mom” of a sort. lol When they were little I worked on the farm when I could safely take them with me. Now it’s easily 40+ hours in between running for school plays, ffa, and sports! It’s still exciting and scary. Some months it’s hard to see the desk under all the bills. But it’s also the satisfaction of having harvest done and feed put up for the winter. Knowing that your kids have a good work ethic and that some dreams are worth going after
We are in a slow moving process of getting into the business. Last year we purchased our dream home – a two story, five bedroom home with a barn (bit run down though) on acreage in an extremely rural part of Central Florida. Currently, we are only working with smaller animals – silkie chickens, rabbits, and some personal “pets” (Goats, mini pigs, horses, etc) – but our entire intentions on purchasing this property was to get into a small family operation. The property around us is also vacant, so eventually we plan on expanding. However, getting into the home has set us back as it was foreclosure that sat empty for a very long time and just getting it completely living appropriate and cleaned up has been a daunting task. Add in having a baby and switching careers (out of a lucrative management position into an independent transcription contractor) and it’s really slowed us down! Thank you for your inspiration!! It helps to hear other farmers say “You can do it, too!” once and a while!
Love this!!
Thank you so much for sharing! We are also a first generation farm. It all started when my son applied for a scholorship to win a heifer. He won and we continue to grow our angus herd one calf at a time. No one will ever understand the life of a livestock farmer but I would never want anything different. As our family makes decisions together regarding our small herd, work together loading the cow/calves to move pastures, baling hay, or just the day to day life on the farm, it draws us all closer together as a family. Wishing you all the very best as you continue living the dream!!