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You Want to be a Farmer?

Krista Stauffer
TFW you want to be a farmer

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.

 

 

 

 

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Krista Stauffer

Owner at Stauffer Dairy
Krista didn't grow up on a farm but fell in love with a dairy farmer and now works alongside her husband on their family dairy farm, raising five children. Despite her non-farm upbringing, she embraces farm life, enjoys gardening, and remodeling their farmhouse. She also runs a successful women's boutique, manages social media for local businesses, and serves on the board of a non-profit creamery, showcasing her dedication to entrepreneurship and community service.
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