My father’s work ethic is second to none. He’s a perfectionist, a trait he developed and passed onto myself and my sisters. When he starts a job he does not stop until he sees no fault. The phrase “good enough” does not exist in his mind. He’s not crazy, he’s simply a farmer.

Hard work was built into him at a young age. Living on a farm is all my dad has known as he has taken over the farm that his father once ran. It’s a job that gets little recognition in today’s society, but one that the world couldn’t spin without. The men and women that farm like my father are the people that feed America and are the people that I have more respect for than anyone else.

When you’re your own boss, you make your own hours. A farmer wakes up when he wants, heads to work when he wants, take as long of a lunch break as he wants, comes in from work when he wants and takes a day off when he wants. Every farmer does it differently, but the successful ones are the ones that remain disciplined. Whether it’s by choice or habit, a successful farmer never seems to stop working. I’ve watched my dad slave years away on our farm, working in the hot sun, day after day in order to provide for our family. Holidays are just another day. Even when the sun doesn’t shine, there’s work that can be done inside.

I’ve never had a “real” job. Actually writing for this website is the closest thing I’ve ever had to one because I have deadlines, a “boss”, etc. Starting when I was about 12, I helped my dad with whatever I could handle. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gained more responsibility through the odd jobs I take care of on a daily basis. Every day is a new task but it’s never a glamorous job. There’s days where mowing grass, baling hay, or washing equipment are the last things that I want to do, regardless of what I’m getting paid to do it. But I know that my dad has those days as well, and he never lets them slow his work down.

Being the son of a farmer has done more for me than anyone could understand. I know what it’s like to make sacrifices, to miss things because crops HAVE to be harvested. I know what it’s like to work a full day in the hot sun when you feel like shit. I know what it’s like to spend hours on a project you thought would be over in 15 minutes. I know what it’s like to fix the same damn tractor ten times in a week because it won’t stop breaking down. I know what it’s like to be frustrated, let down, proud, and to see your hard work pay off. I know these things because I’ve seen them on my father’s tired face. Every emotion runs down his worn cheek because of the work he puts in.

Farmers fix. Farmers grow. Farmers provide. Farmers build. Farmers love. Farmers care. Farmers are an under-appreciated hero. Farmers are the foundation of this country. My dad is a farmer. I am the son of a farmer. I could not be more proud of where I come from.