The definition of a farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. Farmers are important to society because they grow needed food and fiber. Providing people that do not farm, the opportunity of frequenting stores to purchase food and other products needed whenever it is convenient for them.
Do you know anyone that farms? Do you grow your own food?
Farming is an industry that relies on the natural environment. Working hand in hand, farmers witness God’s presence in the incredible gift of life that He creates. Farmers plant the seed, but God is responsible for growing the plant. Ranchers make sure the bull is in the pen with the cows, but God is responsible for the live baby calf born 9 months later. Farmers are blessed to work with the presence of God every day.
My farmer husband is quite the guy. He realized at a very young age his lifelong dream was to be a farmer. Working towards that dream he began by rouging milo fields. Walking down the rows of plants, he removed weeds with a corn knife at the age of five. While working for a neighbor building fence when he was in the 8th grade, he earned an opportunity. As a freshman in high school, he rented his first 40 acres from that same neighbor and became a farmer. By the time he graduated from college with his bachelor’s degree, he was farming 1,000 acres.
If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. A statement that is my farmer husband’s motto. He works all day, every day, and loves every minute of it. His true passion for what he does is very apparent in the farm and seed operation he has built from the ground up.
Do you enjoy your career and love what you do? Does your work show your heart?
When we first started dating, we were in our late 40’s. Both of us were used to being in charge and running the show. There were some definite adjustments that had to be made on both sides. Now we work together and are around each other most of each day.
I remember our second anniversary as the introduction to real life. My farmer husband forgot it was our anniversary until I reminded him that morning. I had assumed he would remember our important day because it was important to me. His mind was on brome seed harvest, a very detailed event that also occurs in June.
My farmer husband somehow chiseled in a date that evening in our busy schedule. Driving to Salina, about an hour away, we traveled in the old dusty 4-door pickup. It was very hot, 103 degrees that day. The struggling air conditioner in the pickup could barely keep up, reminding us of how hot it was the entire trip. First, we dropped my son off so that he could visit with his dad for the weekend. Next, we had to run errands before the business closed for the day.
We went by a rental yard and hooked up to a huge generator riding on a trailer. One of the irrigation pumps was not working and we needed a source of power until it was fixed. Renting the equipment, we would pull the generator home to supply power to the irrigation system watering crops. The next stop was at the Freightliner store to purchase diesel truck parts.
I was starving by this time. Finally, the list of errands was finished, and we could eat supper. After we had ordered and were waiting on our meals, the manager of the steak house came to our table. He asked my husband if he was driving a big silver pickup with a long trailer. Management didn’t like where our rig was parked. So, my farmer husband had to leave for a bit to locate our ride to a new location. His food had already arrived by the time he returned.
After eating a yummy steak and grilled vegetables we headed home. Driving down the interstate, only a few miles out of town, a tire on the generator trailer blew. We didn’t have another so it couldn’t be changed. Exiting the interstate, we limped home on a dirt road with one less tire. Arriving home about 2 hours later than expected.
I have since learned that perspective is everything. Efficiency is key and my husband always tries to pick up whatever is needed for the farm when we go to town. However, I appreciate the fact he had taken time out of his busy, running the farm schedule to take me out for a date on the day of our anniversary.
Do you ever stop to look at your perspective and make needed adjustments?
Romance is what you make of it. I was happy to have been gifted a few moments with my overworked husband. Everything happens for a reason because God has a plan. We spent much-needed quality alone time talking and holding hands while riding down that dusty side road because of a flat tire. God’s timing is always perfect.
Now several years later, I realize how many things my farmer husband has going on in his head all at once. If I want him to remember something, I need to write it down on his calendar or remind him. Another example of what my dad always told me is, “Live and learn Deb, live and learn.”