In my last column, I began a path of discussion about the word "FARM" and the meaning it has for me. In an effort to organize my thoughts and give you a good look at what farming really means to me, I have broken my discussion down by choosing a term for each letter in the word "FARM." So in my previous column we started with F for Family. Moving on to the letter A, I want to talk about the ever-popular word used by so many - Attitude.
I realize that the word attitude is applicable to just about any profession or relationship out there. But, in farming, I have learned over the years that we have many different attitudes we must adopt to be successful in farming. It is a given that our attitudes must be positive, so let's accept that as understood and look a bit deeper at the different situations that require unique attitudes.
First, when farming or married to a farmer, one must have an attitude of flexibility in all things, because for a farmer, there are few things that are defined the same as they are in regular society.
For instance, when my farmer says he is going to be ten more minutes, that clearly means he will be at least 45 minutes. When my farmer comes in the door as we are all ready to leave for church and says, "Honey, we have a cow calving," I must be flexible enough in my attitude to shift gears and change my direction. When the rain is coming and the hay must come up, nothing else will come before that hay. Yes, an attitude of flexibility has kept me happily married for 22 years.
Next is my attitude of patience. In order to be flexible, one must absolutely be patient. Cows don't calve on cue, and the weather does not care about our other commitments. I have been given many opportunities to practice an attitude of patience over the years, and it has given me a better understanding of how to handle all the other aspects of our life.
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Finally, farming requires an attitude of pure love towards what we do and one another. Our profession can be challenging at best. If we did not truly love what we do and the people we have chosen to do it with, it would be impossible.
We must also have a love for who we are working for - the consumer. Without them, there would be no purpose to our daily life. I am thankful every day that I have been chosen to work alongside a man who loves what he does and shares it with me. It is through that love that we have raised the next generation.
My attitudes towards my life and profession are a pivotal part of how we farm. I am reflective of that in all that we do each day. It is that attitude of reflection that keeps me fresh, new and ready for the adventure that farming offers.
