When one pictures a "farmer's daughter" they usually imagine the stereotypical image portrayed in songs, movies, TV; a sun dress wearing, southern drawl speaking, well put together skinny thing that is only around to bring lemonade and picnic baskets of food out to the farmhands who they secretly have flings with. As someone who grew up a farmer's daughter, I only wish the farmer's daughter lifestyle was that glamorous! Don't get me wrong, I am extremely thankful I had the upbringing that I did. I just want to clear up some misconceptions on what it is REALLY like to be a farmer's daughter.
-You are really just another son: Being a girl did not give me a "free pass" from any work. If my dad needed help, I was out there, no matter the time of day or weather. This would include throwing bales on the hot and humid days or checking on newborn calves at midnight in a blizzard.
-If we are on the farm, we are rarely put together: If I'm cleaning pens or spreading manure, I'm not going to be wearing my favorite sundress with my hair elegantly flowing in the wind. I most likely will be wearing a cut-off t-shirt and jeans/gym shorts with my frizzy hair stuffed up into a ball cap with no make-up. Just not worth the effort when I know I'm going to be covered in dust, mud, hay, or more by the end of the day!
-We get to do the jobs that require small hands: Pig girls can attest to this 100%. Sometimes your dad's hands are just not going to fit into that sow so you're the next best option. I mean doesn't every little girl dream about some day getting covered in placenta in order to save the miracle of life?
-You obtain a very realistic outlook on life: Animals get sick and die for unknown reasons. A hail storm can take out a years worth of work. Markets rise and fall. That's just life. There are good times and there are bad times. You can't sit around whining and complaining. You work hard to push through the hard times and appreciate when things are good.
-Our farmer parent is our best friend: I have spent countless hours and miles on the road with my dad looking at cattle and pigs, making feed/seed runs, and even going to the John Deere dealer. We have a mutual respect when it came to decision-making on the farm (however this was earned after many, many years and a couple dozen disagreements). I would not trade all the hours I spent working alongside my dad for anything.
-We have an insane work ethic: At home, you always stepped up to help out and rarely had to be asked. We continue that sense of hard work into everything we do. Up before the sun and don't go to bed until everything is done. We always offer to help someone out and don't half ass it. It's just how we were raised.
-The home farm always comes first: If the cattle are out at midnight, we will drive from town and help bring them back in. If our farmer parent is out of commission, we are backing our bags and moving back in to take charge of running the farm. We have a big soft spot for where we were raised, and would do anything to make sure it keeps running and improving.
-Raising out future kids on a farm is an absolute necessity: We have a huge appreciation for all the life lessons we learned from the family farm, and we want to continue that tradition for the next generation. Our children will NOT have everything handed to them and have to actually learn the true value of earning a dollar.
Contrary to popular belief, being a farmer's daughter is not an easy task. However, those of us who have lived it, love it. We gained a strong sense of responsibility, patience, determination, perseverance, and much more that we wouldn't have gotten anywhere else. It's may not be a glamorous life, but it's still a great life.
-You are really just another son: Being a girl did not give me a "free pass" from any work. If my dad needed help, I was out there, no matter the time of day or weather. This would include throwing bales on the hot and humid days or checking on newborn calves at midnight in a blizzard.
-If we are on the farm, we are rarely put together: If I'm cleaning pens or spreading manure, I'm not going to be wearing my favorite sundress with my hair elegantly flowing in the wind. I most likely will be wearing a cut-off t-shirt and jeans/gym shorts with my frizzy hair stuffed up into a ball cap with no make-up. Just not worth the effort when I know I'm going to be covered in dust, mud, hay, or more by the end of the day!
-We get to do the jobs that require small hands: Pig girls can attest to this 100%. Sometimes your dad's hands are just not going to fit into that sow so you're the next best option. I mean doesn't every little girl dream about some day getting covered in placenta in order to save the miracle of life?
-You obtain a very realistic outlook on life: Animals get sick and die for unknown reasons. A hail storm can take out a years worth of work. Markets rise and fall. That's just life. There are good times and there are bad times. You can't sit around whining and complaining. You work hard to push through the hard times and appreciate when things are good.
-Our farmer parent is our best friend: I have spent countless hours and miles on the road with my dad looking at cattle and pigs, making feed/seed runs, and even going to the John Deere dealer. We have a mutual respect when it came to decision-making on the farm (however this was earned after many, many years and a couple dozen disagreements). I would not trade all the hours I spent working alongside my dad for anything.
-We have an insane work ethic: At home, you always stepped up to help out and rarely had to be asked. We continue that sense of hard work into everything we do. Up before the sun and don't go to bed until everything is done. We always offer to help someone out and don't half ass it. It's just how we were raised.
-The home farm always comes first: If the cattle are out at midnight, we will drive from town and help bring them back in. If our farmer parent is out of commission, we are backing our bags and moving back in to take charge of running the farm. We have a big soft spot for where we were raised, and would do anything to make sure it keeps running and improving.
-Raising out future kids on a farm is an absolute necessity: We have a huge appreciation for all the life lessons we learned from the family farm, and we want to continue that tradition for the next generation. Our children will NOT have everything handed to them and have to actually learn the true value of earning a dollar.
Contrary to popular belief, being a farmer's daughter is not an easy task. However, those of us who have lived it, love it. We gained a strong sense of responsibility, patience, determination, perseverance, and much more that we wouldn't have gotten anywhere else. It's may not be a glamorous life, but it's still a great life.