It’s officially that time of year where a drive through the countryside can be more exciting for a young farm kid, than any amusement park would be, says Review family and farm columnist Laura Barton.
Wow! Big John Deere and cultivator! Wow Mommy! Look! Fendt!
It’s officially that time of year where a drive through the countryside can be more exciting for a young farm kid than any amusement park would be. Every field you drive by has dust being kicked up and the smell of manure (or money, as farmers like to say), fills your nostrils. Farmers are working their fields, night and day, to get them planted and fertilized before the next round of rainy days come. Many little munchkins may not have their colour names and numbers mastered yet, but they would ace a ‘Name the tractor and type of Machinery’ quiz!
It’s encouraging to see everyone hard at work, after what seemed like a long-awaited start compared to the two previous springs. It may be a busy and stressful time, but every day they work is a day closer to being finished and moving on to the next project. Mother’s Day weekend was probably a write off for many farm wives/mothers, because they themselves may have been hard at work in the fields, or in the barn while the rest were in the fields, but at least the weather was sunny and perfect.
Perhaps for some, the fact that their men were all in the fields made it the perfect Mother’s Day – because they were out of their hair for the day. I hope everyone still had a chance to wish their special mothers/mother figures a Happy Mother’s Day and found a way to make them feel special even if it was just for a short moment during a busy day!
Every day I am reminded of how truly blessed I am to live in the country, to have grown up with the hustle and bustle of busy farm life and to know how to appreciate the beauty of machinery hard at work in every field as far as the eye can see. Especially when the skies are a mixture of reds, pinks, yellows and oranges, as the sun rises and sets on the horizons. The excitement in my little one’s voice when we pass by the fields or when he knows he’s going to get to go for a ride is priceless. It fills my heart with pride and pure love as I listen to his endless stories at the lunch table of how he helped daddy and Grandpa do this, this and that.
Figuring out routines that work for everyone, making sure all are fed, watered and wearing sunscreen and keeping the house clean, even though everyone brings dust in with them; are all part of my job of being a wife, mom and farm hand. It’s crazy some days, but always worth it in the end, especially when you see everything come together. The satisfaction and relief on a loved one’s face at the end of each productive day is always rewarding.
So, the next time a little one goes “Wow! Look New Holland!” Slow down and let them enjoy the sight, because many kids do not get to experience the same sights as children who grow up in the country do. Teach them the importance farming has for our livelihood and encourage them to appreciate all the hard-working men and woman who work to put food on our tables!
