I know that I have many things to be thankful for. I have never doubted this in life, however I have become aware recently of one thing that I have always taken for granted.
Growing up on a small farm, I have found that my help has always been welcomed. It was never a matter of “if” I could do something; instead it was how to do it the right way. I will always have the memories of going to the field and helping with whatever needed to be done or riding along in the tractor with my dad.
It started when I was little: 40 acres of tobacco and it took all of the manpower we had. So I ended up in the field. I longed to ride the setter years before I was even big enough to do so, so Turner and I would walk behind and find any plants that were missed and “replant” them. This was never something that was expected of us, just something we did because we enjoyed it. As we got older, we were allowed to do more.
As the years progressed, the type of farming we did also changed. As we got out of the tobacco, we took a deeper dive into the hay business. With this came more machinery and a yet another opportunity for me to learn something else. I claimed a square baler as my own and went to the field. Never did anyone question if I could get the job done.
The older I have gotten, we have become even more diversified. My dad is always welcoming to the idea of me being involved in anything that is going on. Often times he has put me in a piece of machinery and shown me what to do, even when I didn’t believe in myself… he always believed in me. He has the patience of a saint and has instilled that character in Turner. He has openly told me before, “Get in and try it. If you tear something up it will be okay. We will fix it and move on.”
While I have been at college, I’ve learned that not all people share this mindset. I have so much respect for my dad and the guys that were always so welcoming to me in the field. I know that going and putting up with them has only made me stronger as a woman. I truly believe that the men in my life (along with my momma) have prepared me to be a successful woman in what has been a predominately male industry. I also know that at the end of any day, I can come home and get in just about any piece of equipment and perform any task at hand. (Maybe, not the semi… I’m not quite proficient with it, yet.)
At 20 years old, I still believe that one of my favorite things to do is ride along with my daddy in the tractor. Thanks to my mom and dad, I have lived this agriculture-filled life.
