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Views and opinions: Farm work prepares people for more than just life in ag

 

A few weeks ago, a piece was recirculating through social media about the résumé for a farm kid. It pointed to their strength and unmatched work ethic. While I can certainly testify to the strength and durability of farm kids, I must remind every farmer out there of the gift you are giving the world when you take your children to work, every day.

I have to say thank you to a couple of farmers for the gift they gave me in some unequaled young people. For three weeks in a row I covered shows in Michigan, Ohio and New York. These shows require some manpower and you, Mr. Farmer, supplied it.

I had one young man eager to improve his photography skills. He said he would help me out and, sure enough, he showed up early and stuck with it the entire day. Never once did he waver in doing his job. He was there from beginning to the end and thanked me for the opportunity to help.

What? How often does that happen?

The next weekend, three young ladies were tasked with helping cover seven breed shows in Columbus. Two of them typed every single placing and the third one took pictures of three shows. Never a complaint. Never a worry that they would quit.

Although one of them had been up since 4 a.m. helping one of the show strings get their cattle to the ring, she showed up that evening, tired and cold, with her camera in hand ready to take photos. She finished that day with 18 hours of work behind her, and not once did I question whether she would quit on me. She pushed through and got the job done.

Last weekend I was in Syracuse covering the New York Spring Dairy Carousel. I had someone lined up to help me remotely from her bed in a rehab facility after enduring surgery from a broken leg. (Yep, she’s a farm girl). She was bored and wanted something to do.

When her internet went out, I had to find someone to fill in. Five minutes and two texts later to a college co-ed on a Sunday morning, we were back on track for getting the show results on DAT.

For five months straight, a recent college graduate in Indiana has been asking if there was anything she could do for me or if I knew of any job opportunities. Her persistence has paid off – this weekend she will cover the Oneeda Farm Paired Selections Sale for me.

All of these people grew up on a farm where they learned that no matter what the circumstances, the job has to be done. There is no quitting when the milk pump burns out or when 26 inches of snow comes on a weekend, or when the heat and humidity of a July afternoon makes chasing loose cows through a cornfield unbearable. These jobs all have to be done, and farm kids learn that early in life.

While some of these children may not find lifelong employment in agriculture, they will be contributing to society in other ways. They will show up early at their job on Wall Street. They will stay late to complete a job as a clerk for a Supreme Court justice.

When they are asked to swap shifts with someone who can’t work on Sunday afternoon, they will do it without complaint. When they are asked to clean out the refrigerator at their job at the local pizza joint, consider it done.

Employers won’t fire these kids because they don’t show up for work – they will lose these kids because someone else recognizes their talent and work ethic and will entice them to a higher-paying position.

While you might say I’m singing to the choir, I’m really not. Today a teenager will slam a tailgate into a fuel tank. Another teenager will forget to milk a cow. And yet another one will take out a corner of the feed bunk with the skid steer. While you hang your head and wonder if they will ever learn, I just want to give you a word of encouragement and say, “They are kids, and we all make mistakes.”

But more than that, I want to give all of the parent-farmers out there a big pat on the back and say thank you – and society thanks you – for raising a generation of kids who will get the job done, no matter what.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.

4/18/2018