Blogs

I have a comedy album called Farm Raised. On the album, I make fun of the way farm kids grew up. Take, for instance, my first sleepover at a friend’s house.

Two tiny toads ate fat flying flies. No, you are not being challenged with a tongue twister, but do you remember playing the telephone game at 4-H or FFA meetings growing up?

It’s often joked that the best attribute of a good farmer is a short memory. And, of course, there’s truth to such a statement, as the challenges inherent to the act of farming can be frequent and plenty – something gets out, something else breaks, something unexpectedly needs to be paid for.

Pain: What a terrible curse. Men under the threat of pain have revealed national secrets and abandoned family, country and religion. The cupboards of many Americans are filled with painkillers, and pharmacies do a booming pain-relieving business.

I don’t have the time. There’s hay to make. I need to change the oil in the tractor. As farmers, we are good at coming up with reasons why we can’t do something. It’s easy to use our occupation as a crutch to say no. There are times when it’s healthy to say no or when life really is in the way, but, then there are other times we need to say yes when asked.

Over the last year, we have seen many unprecedented events. These events have sparked panic, anger, loss and hurt, making home life and work life difficult. Changes were quickly made, but many issues were left undone.