Sunday Solopreneur

Read on my website – Read Time: 5 Minutes

Is There a Romantic Side to Farming?

When people think about farming, they often imagine happy animals, green pastures, and the satisfaction of a hard day’s work. And sometimes, that’s true.

Farming can be beautiful, peaceful, and fulfilling. But there’s another side—an ugly side. This week, that was the side that took over on our farm.

It started with a broken well. After spending a day tracing the property for leaks, crawling under the house a thousand times, and pulling my hair out trying to figure out what was going on, we gave up and called the plumber / well people.

After pulling 400 feet of tubing to replace the pump, we discovered a major leak in one of the cattle waterers down in the river bottom (one I checked twice and saw nothing). If I’d caught it earlier, it might’ve been a $5 fix. Instead, I’m bracing for a much bigger bill.

Then the Gator, which is essential for hauling feed and tools (and traveling the property to check for leaks), remained stuck in the shop.

Walking the farm is nice, but it’s a different story when you’re hauling a bucket of tools and realize you forgot the one thing you need and it’s on the opposite side of the farm.

To make things more interesting, some trees came down on a fence. While I managed to clear them with minimal damage, I only noticed the problem while checking the well that wasn’t working.

And as if that wasn’t enough, the tractor refused to start. More frustrating when I don’t have the ATV as a back-up.

After a frustratingly cold morning, I had to accept the inevitable: the battery had lasted eight years, and it was time for a replacement.

Through all this, I found myself hauling water in 5-gallon buckets to make sure the animals stayed hydrated while the wells and waterers were down. Even our house lost water for a day, adding another layer to the chaos.

Lessons From a Tough Week

As the week dragged on, it was easy to feel like everything was falling apart. But as I worked through each challenge, I kept reminding myself of something important: these things aren’t happening to me—they’re happening for me.

Every broken pump, downed tree, and dead battery is a lesson. They teach patience and problem-solving. They remind me to appreciate the smooth days when everything runs as it should. They strengthen my resolve and make me a better farmer. Of course I’d like every day to be perfect, but that’s not farming (or life).

Perspective is a funny thing. In the moment, it’s easy to get frustrated and feel like the world is ending. But stepping back, I can see that it’s quite the opposite. We’re getting to live our dream.

At the end of the day, I still get to see my family, hug my kids, and know that tomorrow, I get to farm.

Yes, it’s messy, exhausting, and unpredictable at times. But it’s mine. I’m fortunate to be in a position where these challenges can arise—and fortunate to learn and grow from them.

Farming isn’t always romantic, but even in the toughest weeks, it’s a life I wouldn’t trade for anything.

The hard days remind me to savor the good ones. And when everything seems to go wrong, I know it’s all just preparing me for the next challenge ahead.

Happy farming and see you next week!

with my appreciation,

Jason

Aka: The Part-Time Farmer

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