02/09/2026
It’s always challenging being a farmer in today’s society, especially with the lack of knowledge and experience many people have regarding the realities of farm life.
I can assure you it is not glamorous, nor is it usually done in a dress, unless it’s an accident or an emergency. Then you might even be in underwear and boots.
It is completely imperfect and, most of the time, unplanned. Farming exposes you to real and often difficult truths about working with animals and living outdoors. Yes, farm animals live, thrive, and belong outside. No coats, booties, hats, heaters, or blankets.
With the rise of social media, small farming is often portrayed as glamorous, fun, and full of only the “good.” But there is a reality side too, the hard decisions, the long days, and the personal sacrifices made so the animals can thrive.
You do the best you can with what you have available. You equip yourself with knowledge and continue learning along the way. You experience things you never imagined were possible.
It softens you and hardens you—sometimes in the very same moment.
It’s not something easily described, because you rarely have the time to reflect deeply enough to put it all into words. Don’t get me wrong, many of us dream of the perfect scenario that would make things easier: a new barn, better pasture, new equipment, more structures, better planning, help that can do what you do.
So when things happen, it’s difficult to know whether to share and help others learn, or to simply move forward and keep it private.
Farming is not “soft.” It does not discriminate, offers very little room for error, does not take your feelings into account, and does not give you the option to walk away and come back later.
So when I, or any farmer, shares a memorial for one of our animals, know that it is done after extensive thought and careful deliberation.
