I was blessed with the amazing, one-of-a-kind experience of growing up on my family farm. It definitely had its perks, and I want my children to one day experience the childhood I had. Although things weren’t always peachy keen, there was always a lesson to be learned. Here are just a few of the lessons I learned during my long sweaty hours working on the farm.
1. Hard work pays off
Whether we were out hauling hay in 110-degree heat or chopping ice when it is -20 degrees we were always working hard. My parents instilled this valuable life lesson in me at a very young age and I have been able to relate the quality of good work ethic into all aspects life. If you are willing to put in the long, hard hours you will accomplish anything you put your mind to.
2. Good things take time
The Lord blessed me with two dreamers as parents. The farm was once a flat dirt square that has been transformed into a beautiful home, multiple barns, rolling green pasture, sturdy pens, and good-looking livestock. They spent the last ten years of their lives pouring into something that was once only been a dream in their heads but now a reality. Just like Rome was not built in a day, neither was the slice of heaven we call 4B Ranch.
3. Appreciate the little wonders around you
I don’t have to go way high up in the mountains, down low in the valleys, or way out on the coast to see the beauty my Creator painted. There is something special about the way a sunrise or sunset peaks up over a hill spotted with cattle. It is a miracle to see a cow give birth to this cute calf that is already so big and walking. My favorite is the clear, crisp night sky that looks to be filled with billions upon billions of glistening stars. The soft swooshing in the background from a nearby windmill is a reminder of how big this ole world is and how small I am, how small my problems really are.
4. A little dirt won’t hurt
Often-times dinner was served out of the back end of a vehicle on paper towels and eaten with dirty hands. This was not always ideal, but we made the most of it because we all got to eat with each other. And I think our dirty hands strengthened our immune systems. Sometimes life is far from perfect and it seems a little ‘dirty’. Make do with what you have and the results just might surprise you. Finding the little ray of sunshine in a dark cloud is the first step to making something great out of nothing or maybe even a cruddy situation.
5. How to identify weird things
I could probably identify hundreds of different plants. Shoot, I can even name all of the species of road kill I see on the side of the road. But my greatest talent is identifying the type of animal simply by the smell of its manure. My dad always said cattle manure smells like money!
6. When you break something, it’s always your fault. Even when it isn’t.
Even if you watched dad drive the tractor into the ditch or it was the cow that ran through the fence; it probably still is your fault. No sense in arguing about it because moms and dads are always right because they said so. Regardless whose fault it is everybody will be helping to fix it.
7. Anything can be fixed with duct tape and bailing wire
Things break down, that is just a part of life. Sometimes resources are limited when it comes time to fix this or that. Two things that every good farmer keeps in his truck (besides toilet paper): duct tape and bailing wire are the main tools used to fix any screw-ups. I am honestly surprised at the vast array of things that can be fixed with these two items and a quick prayer.
8. Sh!t happens
Not just in the literal sense, but in the metaphorical sense too. Things don’t always go as planned, and that is okay. Learning to roll with the punches and being adaptable is an important life lesson. Just like manure is great fertilizer, sometimes tough times help us to grow into the person we are meant to be.
