A Farmer’s Frustration

I try to post happy thoughts here in Blog Land. I update our Facebook page with the highs and lows of day-to-day farm life. When it comes to pet peeves, irritations and just down right fits, I try to keep those quiet & to myself. Not sure if my family would agree, but I try. Farming is hard work. Under the best conditions farming is hard. Add a bad economy to the mix, you better brace yourself for the hardships. We have had many ups and downs, many, many learning experiences and I have to say we are better for it.

There are times at our smaller local market, that after traveling over 100 miles to the market, I didn’t even cover my expenses for actually going to market. We are preparing to send two of our lovely momma hogs to the butcher due to a narrow pelvis with one and poor mothering skills for the second. Each of our breeder hogs possess qualities and genetics that we need and require for our breeding program, so anytime we lose one, it hurts. Farming is hard y’all. I work very hard to keep this farm running. I work every day. There are no days off, no holidays. I don’t get time and half for overtime. Each day is planned around farm duties.

So when someone wants to haggle on prices with me about our meat or products, it hurts. I have had someone tell me our “grass-fed beef should be cheaper than the grocery store beef because grass is free.”  Really?? I have organic fertilizer shipped from way up north. It is a hassle to broadcast on the fields. It is roughly 5 times the cost of conventional fertilizer. We have to purchase our grass seeds, making sure that all are non-GMO. The land the grass grows on was not free, nor is that land tax free. Grass is not free.

We travel 3.5 hours one way to the butcher, by the time we deliver and/or pickup animals/meat it is easily a 10 hour day. 10 hours off the farm is a LONG time. Each feeding/welfare check takes around 1-2 hours. So those days are full of miles and feeding in the dark-twice.

Day-to-day work has it’s challenges as well. Hauling hot water to animals twice a day in freezing temps, rain and snow is no picnic either. Summertime brings sweltering heat that forces us to routinely check on spring water levels. Making sure the hogs have a wallow to cool in is a must. Spring and fall bring rain, lots of rain- flooding, muddy barn lots (for me to slip in). Each season has it’s challenges. Our products are made with natural, free-trade components or harvested from our animals (tallow & lard) or our bees (beeswax).

Nothing about the way we farm is as easy as conventional farming. Any deviation from the “conventional farm plan” requires more planning, more work, more time, and especially more MONEY.

So why do I do it? I ask this myself from time to time.

I refuse to purchase food that comes from animals who have been medicated, caged, mistreated or living in squalor. I am providing MY family with real food. And in doing so, I am giving each of our customers the ability to purchase the same quality of food for their families. Step back in time 100 years, that is how I’m farming. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. My animals are happy & healthy and I am thankful each day to be blessed with this adventure.