As V & E launch themselves from the recliner to couch, I’m thinking about ‘why the farm’. A few people have asked lately, so why not a blog post. I’m usually too busy to post, but when I do, it is usually about something people keep asking about.
Why the farm…
I’m not one to sit still. When I am forced to do so, at home or work, I’ll eventually start fidgeting in one form or another. Shows or videos rarely hold my attention very long. I always prefer to ‘do’ over ‘watch someone do’. I/we are capable and well positioned to do a lot of the awesome stuff depicted in the shows/videos. So why sit and watch? That’s not nearly as entertaining.
Turns out, I am not the only one incapable of sitting still. If I can’t control it, there is NO WAY E(7) & V(3) could be expected to.
Physical exercise & movement.
I feel bad when I sit still and good when I move. If I don’t move a certain amount in a day, I can’t sleep. If I didn’t have the farm, I’d go to the gym. If I go to the gym, it benefits me and the gym owner… various other businesses if you start expanding that thought. With the farm more people benefit. I will acknowledge my opinion on what is a ‘benefit’ is somewhat forced upon others, often those I love most.
It is obvious my equally rambunctious children also need to do physically exerting activity. They couldn’t come to the gym with me if there wasn’t a farm. We could take them to dance, gymnastics, or soccer, but then someone would be sitting there ‘watching, not doing’. With the farm, there is plenty of room to run, plenty of things to do, plenty of things to play with. They can choose. E likes to run around the barn. She likes to wear tennis shoes and have someone time her laps. V chooses boots, which she will likely take off, to stomp in puddles or dig in sand. In the winter, sledding is a popular activity. We have the best hill, carefully plowed for safety & speed. The options of things to do are endless.
Sometimes E & V will help with chores, where I get my energy out. I can attest to the fact that the small daily lifting tasks on a farm add up to good physical ability & stamina. I work in and around utility construction and see people who just can’t do anything hard for the time required to get the task done. I’m not saying I am capable of knocking-out every task. I’ve started a few and contemplated how I was going to finish. But when I get it done, that feeling is pretty awesome. Some tasks are rougher than others. The harder the task, the better it feels to be done. I’m not a big person and can chuck 50lb bags of feed with little effort. The 75lb bags are a bit harder but possible.
Quality food and experiences.
A farm provides. Make no mistake, you work for it, but you get something of a quality that can rarely be bought.
For example, today we (but mostly my dad) butchered two mini-pigs. They will yield some pork belly (tacos) and bacon, a few tenderloin & chop cuts, and the rest will be ground with venison, elk, and goat for burger & hot sticks/sausage. One will be traded for some Alaskan halibut and Lake Superior whitefish & trout. Scraps & innards to the dogs, hides to the birds. The birds love picking the lard from the hide… the pileated woodpecker that shows up is amazingly beautiful & huge.
These pigs were happy, I can personally attest to that. They do a job, too, eating leftovers, excess goat milk, and kitchen scraps (along with a vitamin/mineral pellet for a balanced diet). You can probably buy pork this good if you search it out, but if you don’t, conventional hog barns are one of the reasons I started raising our own food. The farmers are wonderful, doing their best in the system they are forced to operate in. But in my power quality consulting experience, I can tell you that under some conditions they will start loosing animals after 3 hours without fans due to air quality. No thanks, I’ll raise my own. You are what you eat, I think the happiness of the animal matters (if they are smart enough to care), and this stuff just tastes better.
As for experiences, seeing the huge pileated is certainly one. On the flip-side, is it good to not really know where food comes from and what it takes to get it to the table? It can be graphic, ‘gross’, and sad. Maybe I’m just old school, but I think there is value in seeing this so you don’t take it for granted. I also believe our kids will never doubt what they are capable of in many facets of life.
Work ethic and responsibility… and allergies.
Chores are everyday. They can be quick or there can be days that every hay feeder and water tank/bucket needs filling. The worst is when shit breaks, freezes, or there’s a list of things that need to happen before you can do the thing you need to do. I wouldn’t say I want to do chores everyday, but I always feel better after I do them. I appreciate the time alone when it’s just me and love the ‘teaching moments’ when I have helpers. The kids aren’t required to help with most stuff, but if they want to ride the pony, they have to brush him first. If they want to keep a baby bunny, better feed them at least a few times a week (someone else obviously picks up the slack). Turns out, you have to work for most things in life (or someone has to). Accept it and be proud of it. No one truly respects or admires the (figurative) man who doesn’t work.
Know how many allergies E & V have? None. I had a few but most are gone (I am still very allergic to mice) since the farm. The immune system is like a muscle, use it or lose it… or worse yet, it can attack your body, such as in the case of autoimmune disorders. Give it something to do and make it strong by interacting in a dusty, dirty, unwashed, un-sanitized environment. The fresh air and appropriate amount of sunshine never hurts either.
Conclusion.
Maybe this is just narcissistic justification of my actions… a claim of greater good for all. But I’m not sure what else I’d do with my time that would be rewarding on multiple levels. As previously discussed, I simply cannot sit around, so what else would I do?
Travel complicates matters. I would say that is the real drawback. I wish I had a better solution here… I’m working on it. I need a paid (farm)hand. I don’t like levying my responsibilities on others, paid or not… and time in the barn always makes me feel good.
