Three Observations about Farm Kids.

I consider farm kids to be in a different class from your average childhood experience. They see firsthand where food comes from, as well as the amount of effort it takes to produce food, the joys & sorrows of rearing livestock, and more often than not, they fall in love with the lifestyle. Growing up in the farming community of Matsqui, BC taught me some lessons that I would not have learned in a suburban setting. Here's three observations about farm kids.

1. They have a deep respect & understanding of animals.

Farm kids learn from an early age how to care for livestock, how to be safe around all sorts of different types of animals by reading body language & they learn how to do what's best in all situations for the sake of the animal. There is a "healthy fear" of animals instilled into these kids. They know that animals are living beings with minds of their own who will let you know when they don't like something. As conscious observers of animals, farm kids learn an intuitive way of tuning into both animals & humans.

A winter's eve sunset on the farm.

2. They appreciate hard work.

Farming is synonymous with hard work. Long days, in all sorts of weather, & being an "on-call" attendee to livestock builds up a tenacity in farm kids.They are "forever optimists" who see the value in putting on their coveralls & boots to get down to business. They understand teamwork is what gets crops planted & harvested. Difficult things don't intimidate them as easily as the rest - they were made for hard. They also have an easier time seeing opportunities in the midst of adversity because of this. Nothing is more satisfying than a job well done for a farm kid!

3. They learn a particular kind of common sense.

Working around dangerous farm equipment, machinery, & livestock means that you have to be really smart about how you do things as a farm kid. It's risky business. You learn how to respect things that are dangerous, as well as how to use them safely. You also learn how to think on your feet when things go wrong; equipment will fail & animals don't always behave perfectly! You learn practical things: like how to successfully grow something, crop rotation, food preservation, as well as how to care for different farm animals. Farm kids often learn how to be mechanically inclined as well (hello, end-of-season maintenance for tractors!) Farm kids are confident in their skills & capabilities.

My husband raking hay in Sorrento, BC.

Those who have had the privilege of growing up on a farm, or interacting with agriculture at any level will be able to relate to a lot of these things! There is such value in farming & in farmers. I'm hoping that as I continue with my writing that I'll be able to give you glimpses into how farming has impacted my life & the lives of those around me for the best & with what I believe, is an eternal impact.

For those of you who have never experienced farm life, please don't feel like you've missed out on life! All roles are needed in this world to make life work. Variety is the spice of it all. I hope that you feel inspired & have a deeper understanding of the deep-rooted love that a farmer has for what they do. It's a deep purpose rooted in the stewardship of land & food for the benefit of the entire world that we are honoured to do, so that everyone can live out their individual calling.

xo, Alyssa