Thank A Farmer

In my part of the world, my farmer neighbors are still harvesting corn and plowing fields.

This picture was taken a couple weeks ago, but the fields look the same today. It doesn’t look good but it can still be harvested. Weird.

It hasn’t been a very nice spring, summer or fall for any of the farmers. It was very rainy. The snow came early. It wasn’t good.

I was standing in the kitchen at 2 am two nights ago and saw headlights. This is not normal. There isn’t a road back there. When I looked closer I saw a tractor plowing the field in back of my house.

At two am. 15 degrees outside.

And he’s plowing.

I was in awe. Humbled. Grateful.

This farmer is plowing his field to get it ready for next year so that we have something to eat.

Thank you farmer.

Before I lived in farm country, I basically blew off farmers. I got mad when they drove slowly down a country road when I needed to get somewhere. I didn’t understand why they wore their farm clothes to fleet farm. I hated the smell of manure when I drove on the highway.

I appreciate them now because I realize how hard they work. Up at the crack of dawn. I can hear the farm machinery pull out of their driveway in the morning. And they work til sunset. When we were working outside this summer I knew it was going to get dark soon because the farm machinery was pulling in the driveway.

Now when I see farm machinery on the road I wave and smile. Only farm machinery can fit on a narrow country road. Instead of being irritated, I now I just pull into the closest driveway, let them go by and go on my merry way.

I used to hate the smell of manure when I was driving through the country. It was funny because I would roll up my window and plug my nose. My husband would smell it and say “Ahhhh home.”

The other day I walked out of my house and smelled manure and smiled. It is home. I am grateful. I finally understood what he meant.

Yes, I am chaging into a country girl. I now understand somewhat what the farming life is all about. At least a little bit.

I’m grateful for the farmers, for their hard work and dedication and for the food I eat.

Thank you farmers!!! ❤❤❤