Wondering about that title?
Farming is hard. Not just hard it’s more than hard. Great families are losing their farms daily. And it has nothing to do with business choices, bad management, lack of work ethic or any other issue the farmer could control.
As farmers we are a resilient bunch yet there comes a time when it’s over.
Right now, as a farmer still hanging on by our fingernails I couldn’t help but see the resemblance to the “Whack a Mole” game.
I feel like every morning we get up, go out with expectations that the day will be better than yesterday and things will start turning around. While we are pushing ourselves upwards and towards that evasive light at the end of the tunnel, life happens and we get smacked back down.
A hit from low prices. A hit from bad weather. A hit from machinery breakdowns. A hit from insects. A hit from false news about farming. A hit from social media spreading mistruths. A hit from accident or injury. A hit from __________ fill in the blank – this could go on for a long time.
Day after day we continue to rise up, work hard, pray more only to be whacked down again.
How many times can you get hit before you are done? That’s the question all farmers are asking and too many, way too many have reached that point.
While I don’t remember all the details from the movie “Groundhog Day” the part I remember is that each day is a repeat of the day before.
Farmers would be key characters in “Groundhog Day”. Each morning you start out thinking it’s a new day only to find yourself repeating the thoughts of “maybe tomorrow”, “how long can we do this”, “what can I do to change this”. As the hours wear on through the day the load feels heavier and heavier. Going to bed each night you try to talk yourself into thinking tomorrow will be different. Then, each morning you’re right at it again, day after day after day.
Farmers are tough. Some of the toughest people – physically, mentally and emotionally are farmers. The average person could never work this hard for this long for so little if there wasn’t a little bit of Superman inside.
All superheroes can only be super so long. Farmers are over burdened with depression and are committing suicide at a heart-breaking, record setting rate.
This isn’t going away. As long as there are people on the earth and as long as people need to eat, be clothed, have medicine and more, there will be a need for farmers.
Yet, how many of these food eating, crop wearing people ever give a thought to those who worked to provide it?
If you are a consumer there are a few things you can do to show your support for farmers.
1. Please pray.
2. Don’t listen to every person who slams farmers for their horrible practices. Find the source of your information and make sure they are credible. Search behind the source to see if they are connected with another group that would benefit from slamming farmers.
3. If you have a question of concern – go to the source. Ask a farmer. There are tons of us on social media that would LOVE to help you understand.
4. Don’t stand in judgement and think or speak that a farmer could have/should have done better.
5. Thank a Farmer – speak some encouragement into their lives.
Lastly, for most of you reading this your food is less costly than just about anywhere else on the planet. Appreciate your spot on this ball of dirt and be grateful.
