10 Things You Learn on a Farm

Reader Contribution by Charlotte McMullen
Published on July 14, 2020
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Sue Smith - stock.adobe.com
The beautiful red barn was built in 1916 and was part of the original farm site that was donated in 1979 to the Big Horn County Histroical Society for a museum. An auto-oiled 1906 Aermotor windmill stands near the barn. These windmills were used to pump well water before electricity was available in rural areas. 25% of the proceeds from sales of this photo will be donated to the Big Horn County Historical Museum.

I grew up in a rural farming community. From my parents’ kitchen window, I could see the farmhouse my father was born and raised in. Living in the country was nice, but I never dreamed I’d actually live on a farm when I grew up. It’s not that I thought I was too good for farm life; I simply had dreams of a career in the city. That all changed when I met a farmer’s son.

Fifteen years of marriage and five children together on our farm have taught me a lot. Here’s my list of 10 things you learn on a farm:

1. Working 9 to 5 is a nice idea.

Dolly Parton’s catchy “9 to 5” may be one of my favorite tunes, but it’s certainly not how the farmer’s workday goes. A farmer’s day often resembles something more like this: Early to rise and keep going until everything’s done. Even the dark of night sometimes doesn’t stop the work — thank you, Thomas Edison and contributing inventors.

2. Sleeping in… That’s A Good One!

It seems most if not all farm folks are naturally early risers; it must be genetically ingrained in their DNA. Someone who’s in bed at 7:00 a.m. or *gasp* eight o’clock in the morning, will likely be asked, “You gonna sleep all day?” And the person asking is serious.

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