Farm Wife

Farm wife. That's me! How can you be sure? Well, I learned another new skill this week: How to change the hydraulic fluid on an International 686. Thanks dear! My new found knowledge might come in handy some day! But seriously, a farm wife really is a vast wealth of knowledge. Not only do they cook, clean and wash the blue jeans, they help fix, drive tractor, fence, mow the lawn, raise the kids, and feed the animals, among other things that pop up.

Probably the most interesting thing I did last year was ride on the back of the planter while my hubby drove the tractor and sowed seeds. Why? Well, the bottom of the drill is flat, so when you are on the last field and the seed costs $5 million a bag (okay a slight exaggeration) you want to utilize each and every last morsel. Now, let me describe what riding on the back of a drill is like. First, you don't plant seed at 1 mph, so you are literally hanging on for dear life while balancing a cover open and walking between two platforms in order to see each end of the planter and occasionally shoving your hands in the seed to spread them evenly throughout the compartment. Did I mention the field is rough? Okay, doable. Next, the dirt is so dry that the dust is flying around the tractor (which has a cab and air conditioning/heat mind you) and drill that when you finally can't take inhaling one more piece of dust, you now have the extra task of pulling your shirt up over your nose while hanging on for dear life, while balancing a cover open, walking between two platforms, and reorganizing seeds. Finally, when you finish the field, your eyes are packed with dirt, the sun is going down, it looks like you are wearing permanent mascara and eye liner and you end up blowing dirt out of your nose for a week. Fun!

Speaking of dirty jobs, hauling hay. Pocket gophers are not a hay field's friend. Driving a skid loader without an air ride seat through a hay field in order to load bales in the wind, wearing sun glasses to protect your eyes from chaff, which flows easily down your shirt for itchiness. Shower anyone? Or, if you'd rather, driving the truck with a loaded trailer following closely behind, praying the top bales stay put. Remember, it takes 4 times as long to stop a full load and much more foot feed effort to move forward, perhaps in a low gear, if driving a manual transmission.

Last fall, you could find me hauling chopper boxes loaded with tons of silage up a 60 degree slope, requiring down shifting and praying that the tractor didn't stop half way up the hill. On one trip, the tractor almost powered out and let me tell you...I was one second away from filling my shorts. (Chopper boxes are highly tricky to have go backwards down a hill.) A disaster waiting to happen, but a job which has to be done in a timely manner.

More memories? Okay, delivering a calf with both your gloved arms inside the cow to rearrange the baby which is presented incorrectly. Why? Because you do what you have to in order to save the baby and of course mom! You learn vet work real fast when emergencies arise.

Being a farm wife is not always an easy task. What makes it worth it? The "I love you!" after the planter is empty and you are looking your best with dirt covered clothes, hair and face. Knowing the crops are in and you may now have some time together to relax, that is until haying season begins. The "I love you!" when you are covered in oil. The "I love you!" when the feed is up for the winter. The baby calves playing tag in the cattle yard while feeding the cows and he watches them with a smile on his face. He makes it worth your while. That smile you find on his face after the chaos and stress of each "season", calving season, planting season, haying season, harvest season, and repair season. The farmer makes it worth it.