Written 6/8/2016
As we head into one of the busiest seasons of our farming operation we foresee more changes upcoming. Ones that we knew would come one day but now that it is here have caught us by surprise so to speak. Just as with everything, whatever happens will happen and it will all be okay in the end. God provides in all circumstances, we know this.
Today I’d like to share the view I have from sitting somewhat outside the farm and looking in; all the while having a front row seat as well. See, farming isn’t my passion, not even my dream. It’s my husband’s. But with marriage comes compromise, shared experiences, hard work, and partnership. In our partnership, it is making his dream a reality every single day. Since I haven’t spent my entire life on the farm, my perspective can see from the outside at times.
The opportunity for my husband to do something that he loves on a daily basis I think is a gift from God. Even when he worked a full time job outside of farming, he still farmed pretty much every day. He’d work the regular job and come home to what he loved to do. Farm.
God has provided him with land to care for, faith in him from various landlords, and support from generations before him. It’s not just a job to pay the bills or go on the next vacation. It’s a love. A love of something only God could remove. I don’t think I truly understood this aspect until I actually lived on the farm and he worked it full time.
The farming life doesn’t come easy and it isn’t like most other businesses. Farmers have no control over the weather or the grain/livestock markets. They can not set their own prices to make a living or raise them when needed. We are literally at the mercy of others. A couple influences on our bottom dollar are global production and supply and demand. Things and people that are far removed from life on our Kansas farm are factors.
I’ve been given the opportunity to watch my husband the past thirteen years. As each year goes by there is a new layer of things I see. In recent weeks, I’ve had my eyes opened to just how dedicated he is to farming and also how much his heart is tied to the legacy that has been established. I’m proud of him and at times it also hurts my heart to see him struggle.
While the rest of the world may not know what actually transpires in that field of dirt, the grain truck, the tractor or combine, or even within the loan officer’s walls; we still hope for the best for all others. We hope that through this blog and our visiting with those “off-farm” individuals, they might come to realize how valuable the art of farming is to all livelihoods.
Like I mentioned before, it isn’t just an occupation to pay the bills or for another vacation, it’s a love. One that is passed down from generation to generation.
Grace is a gift,
Julie
In Between the Sunsets of Life 