Growing up I always wanted to have a farm or a ranch. We had dogs and my granddad kept chickens, rabbits and pigs for the family. My mom did not have the time or the energy (after raising three girls basically on her own) to have more than the pet dog.
Fast forward 30 years and here I am living MY dream, raising my daughter the way I wished I could have been raised.
Living on a farm brings many days of joy and heartache. Watching these animals that depend on you for everything (food, water and shelter) give birth to their babies and those babies thrive is the most wonderful feeling. My daughter has seen babies being born, she has helped me deliver baby goats, has helped bottle feed them and has helped bury them.
The life of a farmer is never easy, and it is never simple. If you have the flu, broken bones, sick human children, sick spouse it does not matter, you still have to go out and feed, water and care for your animals. During the heat of our Texas summer, to the brutal winters that we can get (sometimes with no power), I think that the good far outweighs the bad. There are many more triumphs than failures, even if some days don't feel that way.
From holding that newborn kid, freshly hatched chick and newly kindled rabbit kit to having to bury that same kid can make any sane person doubt themselves. There have been nights lying awake wondering if it's all worth it. Is this what I should be doing?
The short answer is yes! This is exactly where I need to be, doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. I am giving my daughter the best life a person can ask for. She understands where babies come from, she knows that not everything has a happy ending. We grieve when we lose one of our charges, whether it's a faithful dog companion that has been with us through thick and thin, or if it is the old "nanny" goat that has given us some of our best babies. They all mean something to us and as their caretakers their passing should be mourned, but their life should be celebrated also.
So, is the life of a farmer for everyone? No, I don't think it is. It takes a special person to be able to get up every day and do it all over.
For me and my family though, we are farmers. We love this life.
Add comment
Comments