55 Years And Counting From The Tractor Seat

 By bill whitman

 Seems like spring, summer, and fall, we find ourselves in a position of absolutely no control. 

I’m here to suggest that we all will find ourselves in a position where we need a power greater than ourselves to lean on. Over the years I’ve seen springs with no rain and too much rain; summers with drought and flooding and three years ago a derecho, and the fall with early rain or harvesting poor crops. Each year has its own challenges. Sometimes it’s not the weather but a series of mechanical issues, or inflation affecting inputs, or an unexpected death. 

Recently I have learned of several marriages that have entered troubled waters. The marriages I’ve heard about involved younger folks where the husband or wife came from the city and were totally unprepared for the challenges that the farm and ranch put on the nuclear family. 

I wonder how many of the husbands and wives attended church. I’m not fostering any denomination here but I am encouraging the rural church to step up and provide continuity and care to the hurting family. Since the founding of our Country, the church has been the social center of our communities and provided for the members under attack from their circumstances. 

From my experience, the rural church continues to try and meet the needs of the community. The core of each church is its families.  Perhaps it’s easier for the rural communities to feel the existence of God. How can a farmer or rancher not see the miracles of life, whether the birth of livestock, and the struggle for life; and the farmer who nurtures their crop from a seed to harvest? In both cases it is the cycle of life… and death.

But I digress. The modern family involved with agriculture must be vigilant against the pressures that the world presents daily. I suggest that the earlier you can involve your spouse in the day to day farm/ranch experience… the better. Despite the world discouraging young boys and girls from taking part in working with livestock or working with mom and dad on the farm, involving them early gives them the opportunity to become invested in the family’s successes and failures. It also provides personal time with the family that won’t be found in the house in front of a TV or computer. 

I think that families experiencing stress should look to their local church for support and fellowship. It’s a great way to pull the family together and experience something positive as a family. I further suggest that the entire family will benefit from the influence of good life principles that are hard enough to find in today’s world. 

Finally, with the challenges facing families today, we see a dramatic increase in mental illness, starting with depression.  Farm and ranch families are not excepted. With the emotional pressures that we experience on a daily basis, it stands to reason, that each member of the family feels their own kind of stress. So many of us find solace in church and so many more can. This being a year that will test our survival skills, perhaps the local church can be a place where we can each find fellowship and hope… despite what the world looks like.

IndianaAg@bluemarble.net