So many of my childhood memories have to do with growing up on a farm. While some include hurtful memories of being treated differently as a non-Williams, farm family, they are outweighed with memories of freedom, safety and beauty. I am incredibly lucky to have been born into a very stable family (no pun intended), to be surrounded by animals and to have the many positive experiences outnumber the negative. I think reflecting on my childhood brings some good perspective and helps me remember to strive to be grounded in what is a pretty tumultuous time locally, nationally and globally.
The lessons learned from growing up on a farm are endless. Work ethic is probably one of the first things to come to mind. Learning to show up and fully do a job may be easier when the animals depend on you for survival. Not watering or feeding the animals has such tragic consequences that the motivation is obvious and then the chores become second nature. Believe me, there were plenty of days I really just wanted to watch old movies and I am sure my sisters did the majority of the work on many occasions. In hindsight, I figure that was part of the process of learning work ethic. Failing…and being accountable.
Perseverance is intrinsically linked to work ethic. The repetitive nature and challenges of farming demand perseverance. Training animals is a good example of continuing to move towards a goal even when there are days that set you a few steps backwards. Sometimes the win is the smallest development like finally being able to touch a previously mishandled horse’s ear and some days it is mounting a well mannered green horse for the first time after two years of groundwork. Perseverance applies to so many parts of life; finding a new job, mastering a new skill, overcoming doubt, changing my mindset, and even loving oneself (definitely still a major work in progress).
Team work was also an imperative; even if only a team of two at times. There are so many chores that are so much easier done together and with emergency care it is definitely a must. Dealing with an injured duck is one thing, but when dealing with an injured horse or cow, a team of two has a much better outcome. A fond memory that filled me with pride at 9 years old was being able to work with my dad to get all of the hay before the rain. My sisters and mom were away and we had hay down when the New England weather forecast shifted to rain for that night. My dad was desperately trying to fix the old baler (a never ending task) while I was out driving the tractor and raking the hay so it could fully dry and create tidy rows for the baler to devour. Together, my dad and I got all of that field in. Of course, he had the hardest job. Note to self: team work is not always a 50/50 split of the heavy lifting. He had to sit on the baler making sure each bale got tied and then continued load every single bale onto the large wagon alone while I continued to drive the tractor. It is not a surprise to those who knew him that he was and remains my hero. He showed us incredible work ethic, perseverance and love, daily. But that day, he made me part of his work team. I felt valued and I was actually able to help… at nine-years-old. He let me know I could do anything, not just drive a tractor with an attachment. How lucky I was to be on his work team on more than that one occasion.
Farming of any kind also demands ingenuity, financial planning, knowledge of science and continued learning. All of these lessons on the farm are what make 4-H and FFA kids so appealing to employers. I hope my kids are able to gain some of the many gifts a farm has to offer while we are here in Williamstown. My kids’ experience is not quite the same as mine with the farm now my sister’s full time business but it brings opportunities for additional skill development. No matter what, they have already made me proud by being part of our working farm family. Perhaps I now know what my dad felt that day we brought in the hay.
