Understanding the effort that must be put into farming is more than just an image or a thought in one’s mind. You cannot compare to the strife that these individuals deal with each day. Farmers work with the land, the weather, the livestock, and the equipment in hopes that all things work hand in hand with one another when in reality those days are few and far between. Farmers brace each day for what they have to face. Maybe that is why these men and women watch the sunset each day and thank God for what they are given. Because no matter what went wrong, they know things could have gone so much worse; they see the colors in the sky which brings out the colors in themselves that give each individual the strength, perseverance, and optimism to wake up the next morning and do it all over again. This is why I am humbled by the farmer.
On top of all of their work that they put in each day, they still face more than anyone can imagine. Small family farms have become a dying breed. Financially, farms are harder and harder to keep as our country grows older. We innovate everyday with the newest technology but can’t seem to keep the old alive within us. We support growth and expansion in the new, while we watch the old ways and the people that feed us die away because they just cannot afford to live their life that way anymore. I am mesmerized by the ability of the few to stay alive. No matter what, they farm because they know the world needs them. They farm to keep us safe on our paths that we travel, no matter how straight or crooked, even if they don’t have anyone keeping them safe. These farmers are our modern day superheroes because no matter who, what, when, where, or why they are always there to save us and nourish us back to life.
The average age of the farmer continues to rise. Younger generations do not have the same connections and bonds with the land and the cattle as their family members before them. It is easier to pursue something else rather than the hard labor and endurance that their relatives put in everyday for years and years. We have become a lazy generation. Not enough people are willing to break their back for themselves much less other people. How can we feed the world, when so few people are willing to work hard enough to do so? Our generation is close minded too. We don’t see the beauty in simplicity. We walk outside and see a sunset instead of connecting with God. We see a field of wheat and only think of the back breaking work that went into it rather than seeing how many loaves of bread that one field can make or even how many mouths that one field can feed. Our generation must learn to slow down and understand; listen more and speak less so that we can learn from the knowledge around us in hopes of gaining enough wisdom to pass onto future generations.
No matter day or night,
No matter rain, sun, or snow
No matter life or death
No matter broken or unharmed
The farmer moves on.
The farmer moves forward as he or she uses their bare hands to create the most beautiful masterpiece. The masterpiece of a meal on the table for dinner with freshly tilled rows in the field outside. The masterpiece of a steak on the grill outside in the dead heat of calving season as they watch for new life being brought into this bright world.
No matter where I am, I will always thank the farmer.
beautiful words