Truly something special

Most of us have heard of the famous ‘So God Made a Farmer,’ or the hit song ‘So God Made Girls.’ I recently came across a suggestion of what might happen if you tie these two iconic entities together?

These titles are very unique and special and represent a very small population of females in this world. The writer, being one of them, considered herself very lucky and very important and excuses herself for being somewhat partially inclined.

“You think about how influential women are in the agricultural world. More and more women are managing farms and are filling positions in an industry that has previously been male dominant. Our roles on farms have grown to so much more than the stereotypical images that many have of women’s responsibilities on the farm.

“Yes, we can raise a family, keep the house clean, bake some delicious pies, cook a mouth-watering homemade meal, etc. - because we are just that talented and awesome! but, we also contribute in so many other ways. We assist with the daily chores. We help fix fences. We are sitting in a tractor seat during harvest and hay season. We can hook up the trailer and haul livestock to the mart, to the vet’s office or wherever else.

“Shoot, we can run the whole dang operation if we have to. Even though this is straying away from the original message this blog was intending to portray, I wanted to make this point as a way of showing my own respect towards women in agriculture, as well as what I am striving towards as a young woman in industry. We are a rarity. We are incredible. We are resilient. We are not dreamers - we are farm girls!

“Granted, there are women of all different type of backgrounds who are incredible in their own right. However, with my own family background of being dairy farmers, growing up as a farm kid, and being surrounded by the agriculture industry on a daily basis, I have noticed some traits and mindsets that several of us farm girls have in common. These are just further proof of why God blessed a select few with the opportunity to be farm girls.

“God made the farm girl to sit in her daddy’s lap in the tractor, to be her mother’s shadow doing chores around the farm and in the house and to get into mischief whenever she could. Plus, there had to be a little girl who would beg her parents for that puppy, that kitten, that pony. And let’s face it, she usually would get her way.”

TO DO EVERYTHING HER PARENTS DID, AND MORE

“God made the farm girl to begin dreaming of how she wanted to run her own farm some day. To begin moulding the future farm woman to do everything her parents did and more. She was born with a purpose of supporting the movement to feed the world and to make a difference, even if she did not know it at the time.

“He knew there would be days when she would insist she would not grow up to be a farmer. However, He also knew that she was smart and knew she would come to her senses. She would most likely be the next generation of farmers, and deep down, she always knew that.

“God made the farm girl because He knew her worth and her uniqueness. He knew her value and everything good she would bring to a farm. From an early age, she began to learn the value of life, the value of money, the value of family, the value of hard work and the value of knowing that she could do anything she set her mind to. She saw firsthand of what it takes to care for animals and the land while producing products for consumers that were wholesome and safe.

“God made the farm girl to rock that blue Future Farmers jacket and the YFC badge with pride. She could be a part of these organisations to showcase what she has learned, what she has and who she strives to be.

“God made the farm girl to be one who desires wide open spaces, the smell of good silage and fresh hay and all the sounds that accompany a farm - the humming of tractors/combines in a field, the moos of cows, the sound of horses munching on grass, the dog that barks when someone comes up the lane, the noises of various farm animals, the sound of grain hitting a feeder, and the list can go on and on. To be the one who would admire the simple things that life entails.

“God made the farm girl to be one of the few girls who is never afraid to get her hands dirty. To be the girl who knows she can do anything, even if she is a girl. To be the girl that when someone is actually brave enough to say, ‘You can’t do that,’ to look them in the eye and say, ‘Watch me,’ and get it done. To be a girl who will never set limits because of her gender. To also be the girl who at times may be stubborn as a mule, but smart enough to ask for help when she knows it would better herself and the farm.

“God made the farm girl because he knew the compassion she has towards her animals. He knew she would give them the best possible care in a way that only a farm girl could. He knew she would be the one who would know the details of every animal she had.”

LOOKING YOUR BEST AT 4 IN THE MORNING

“God made the farm girl to be able to go from a girl who is proud of the fact that she can be covered in dirt, mud, grease and yes, manure. There needed to be girls who can make muck boots match with anything - pajama pants, shorts, etc. There needed to be girls who could look beautiful in a the milking parlour at 4 am, on the quad bike checking cows in the middle of the night, in a barn helping delivering piglets, in a pen shearing sheep, and more.

“God made the farm girl to be one that understands the importance of faith in the agriculture lifestyle. To be the girl who knows how unpredictable farming is and who is not afraid to bow on her knees and pray during times of uncertainties and raise her hands in praise in times of success and when things just simply work out.

“God made the farm girl to eventually become a farmer’s wife if that is what she so desires. He knew it takes a special woman to make a farmers wife. He knew that she would understand the commitment farming takes and the hardships that are to be expected. He knew that she would be right by her farmer’s side through it all. He knew that she would give all she had to be a good wife and partner. And guys, if you find a good farm girl, you best not let her go and do whatever it takes to get her because you won’t meet another one like her.

“God made the farm girl to hopefully bring the next generation of farmers into the world. Just like a farm wife, He knew it takes a special type of woman to raise farm kids. It takes a special kind of woman to help raise them in a way that many of us have been raised. He knew it would take someone special to let her kids know that the farm life is really not that bad on the days when they say how they would never grow up to be a farmer; however, be strong enough to encourage them to follow their own dreams while staying true to who they are.

“God made the farm girl to be, well, a farm girl. He knew she has a special purpose. He knew she needed to be strong, strong-willed, independent, respectful, faithful, committed and determined. He knew she needed to be resilient and be able to withstand the trials farming can dish out at times. He knew she needed to be passionate about her role. He knew she was going to be one of the very few in her field and knew she was truly something special.”

(I hope this contribution has either 1. reminded you farmers wives and farm girls out there of how great you are; and/or 2. has served as an enlightening piece to others of how great farm girls really are - any comments?)