Well it's official, I just survived my 15th
harvest as
The Farmer's wife. Normally we would have a small little celebration of sorts, but I think this year everyone is just looking for a good night's sleep as this has been one of the longest harvest seasons I can remember. This got me thinking... farming really is a lot like childbirth and here are my top 7 reasons why.
1. It can be short.
Whether we are talking about
planting or harvest season, it is all dependent on
Mother Nature so it can be a short season or defer to #2.
2. It can be long, as in never ending like this year.
3. It can be a false alarm.
Just like some women experience early contractions only to be sent home from the hospital, planting and harvest can often have a false alarm thanks to Mother Nature. You know where you get everything ready to go to the fields and then it rains and rains and rains for days.
4. It can be painful.
As a farmer there is not much worse than a broken piece of equipment, tractor, or combine during the planting or harvest season.
5. It might require medication.
There might be a few nights during a long and painful planting or harvest season that some adult beverages are needed after many hours in the tractor or combine.
6. It is all about family.
One of the best parts of being a farmer is getting to share our love and life with our kids each day.
7. You can't wait to share the news.
At 6:32pm tonight I got the text from The Farmer that Harvest 2014 was finally done and I couldn't wait to tell all of you.
You see farming is a lot like childbirth because in the end we don't remember the bad parts of planting or harvest season. We just remember the good, our love for the land, and doing our small part to make sure our family and all of yours have food to eat. Just like my experiences with labor and delivery with these 3 amazing children.
So here's to the end of Harvest 2014 and looking towards Planting 2015.