Farming - Lifestyle vs Business

If you asked 1,000 random people from across the country to describe farming I think you'd probably get 1,000 different answers.  Many people would focus on the nostalgic lifestyle of farming - wide open spaces, taking care of the land and animals, and the simple life.  While others might think about big business or big ag, Monsanto and "the almighty dollar".  

When I'm asked why I farm, I start by talking about the lifestyle.  It is how My Farmer and I want to raise our children and it's the way we've always wanted to live.  Farming is in our blood and we are proud to carry on the tradition.  I love being surrounded by fields and the privacy that farming gives us.  At the same time though, I have got to think of farming as a business.  After-all, this is the sole way our family makes a living.  And just like everyone else out there, I want to do the best I can at my business so I can provide for my family.  I want our farm to be successful, so we can live the life we want.

So why can't farming be both about business and lifestyle?  It is a balancing-act I feel to have the lifestyle I want for myself and my family, while still taking on risk and enough work and effort to make our business viable.  Harvest is a busy time for my family.  I feel like we spend a lot of time concentrating on the business but I am thankful that my whole family, three generations to be exact, get to be apart of that business which helps all remember about the lifestyle benefits of doing what we love, farming.

What do you first think of when you think of farming?  Lifestyle or business?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

(This post is a part of a 31 Days from a Tractor Seat series.  The best way to keep up with this series is to follow via email on the right sidebar of this post or by following on Bloglovin.  Also be sure to like the Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids Facebook page for daily updates from the field.)

Farming - A Family Tradition (Part II)

In February, I wrote a post about Farming - A Family Tradition.  In the post I shared some of my family's farming history and legacy today.  I enjoyed putting this post together and since originally posting, I have used the basis of the post for a presentation for civic groups this winter.

My Grandpa, Dad and Great-Grandpa
working on the hay elevator in the Summer of 1981

I bring this up because my Grandma just sent me a copy of a photo she took in the Summer of 1981 of My Great-Grandpa, Grandpa and Dad all working on the farm together.  By presenting about my family's farming legacy and what the future holds at civic groups this winter, I have discovered how truly blessed I am to grow up and know my family.  My Great-Grandpa and his brother helped on our farm for many years.  My Great-Grandpa passed away when I was in elementary school, and his brother died when I was in junior-high.  My Great-Grandma passed away my senior year in college.  How many people get to have close relationships with members of their family three generations before them?

By growing up in farming families both My Farmer and I have gained the work ethic and pride of being farmers from generations past.  Because of this, we both feel a purpose to engage in farming and to continue our family's farming legacy.  (And may I add, the reason we fell in love - ahhh!)

My Farmer and I feel so proud of farming today and feel fortunate to be doing so.  When our families started farming in the United States through just recently, farming was a means of family support.  Today, farming has become a business.  Even though this may be, My Farmer and I strive for farming to be more than a business for us, for it to be a way of life, just as it was for our elders.

Farming - A Family Tradition

When you hear the words “family business” what do you first think of?  The local restaurant, or maybe your dental practice, or maybe the community pharmacy store.  Do you ever think of the farmers in your community?  My husband and I are proud to be 5^th generation farmers and we work hard every day so our kids can be the 6^th.  Five generations!  Can many other family businesses say that?

My family’s farming story is similar to other Iowa farm families.  My great-great-grandparents, Julius & Reka, immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1890.  They settled in Hamilton County, Iowa, where they got married, started a family and continued their engagement in farming, which was my great-great-grandpa’s trade in Germany.  An interesting side note is that they paid for the passage of their farm-hand, Fritz, to come from Germany a few years later.  Fritz then worked for the family to pay-off his passage.  So in 1890 in Hamilton County, Iowa, my family’s farming legacy began and still continues today.  My Dad is now the fourth generation to work on some of that original ground that his great-grandpa Julius farmed.

Our Farming Tradition's 6th Generation

The truth is my family is not the only ones who have made farming a family tradition.  In the United States 98% of all farms are family-owned.  So why do families make farming their heritage?  Farmers pride themselves on putting food on the table and preserving the land.  Through these goals, generations have learned a powerful work ethic and respect.  Because of this, the next generation feels a purpose to engage in farming and continue their family’s farming legacy.  Both my husband and I have always wanted to farm since we were little kids.  We are both so proud of farming today and feel fortunate to be doing so.  I can already see this sense of purpose to farm with our 23-month old son.  He loves to help on the farm!  If it isn’t the season to be in the tractor with my husband or I, then he’s “carpet farming” in the house.  If he doesn’t get up early enough to ride along for morning chores with my husband, then he’s at least taking responsibility for the dog’s needs at the house.  A farmer has already been made in the sixth generation.

This is a guest post I did for a local chicken hatchery in Rudd, Iowa - Hoover's Hatchery.  Check out their blog and follow them on twitter, facebook and pinterest.

I feel like this post had great timing with all the excitement from the Super Bowl's "So God Made a Farmer" Ram Trucks commercial.  I think my family's farming tradition explains, as Paul Harvey would say it, "the rest of the story", behind why "God Made a Farmer".