Farming a lifestyle

Dairy farming in particular is a demanding and often under-appreciated profession. It is a life built on commitment, long hours and hard, physical labor. I have loved the farm, cows and everything that comes with it for as long as I can remember, and I always will. It is one of the most rewarding and noble occupations there is.

However, it can be difficult getting used to the amount of sacrifice, attention and dedication it takes. There is work to be done during all hours of the day, creating a very tough routine that rarely pauses and leaves little time for anything beyond daily responsibilities. On occasion, I catch myself second-guessing my career path, longing to have a 40-hour work week with weekends off and paid vacation/sick time. The cows don’t stop when we do, making it difficult for us to step away from our responsibilities.

For many farmers, missing a special occasion or taking time off simply isn’t an option. For the last few months, I have been busy planning a wedding, which is a long, tedious task that often requires me to step away from the farm. I am grateful that, as a farm, we are surrounded by such great family and team members who are willing to take on extra when needed. Having reliance on each other makes it easier for us all to do more desired tasks away from the farm. The farm could not run without all of us managing the workload and relying on each other when we needed it.

Recently, we made the difficult decision to sell our best Brown Swiss cows in a live auction. While it was an awesome opportunity, and it is so rewarding to be involved in a cow that special. It is also fun to offer the opportunity to someone else. Loading her up to leave was a tough one; she was an easy keeper and a hard worker. We knew her value, and it was important to us that we got to watch her sell. However, that meant we had to have all our chores done for the entire day — at 8 a.m. For many farmers, we find it hard to justify taking time to attend such events, especially when it isn’t required. Nonetheless, it is important to take time when we can because the work will always be there when we get home.

Mother Nature also has a way of changing plans. We always turn heifers out to pasture during the summer, and last fall, we brought them home early because the creek dried up. We were hoping it would be flowing again this spring, but it is not yet. Now, it is a debate whether we want to haul manure and feed at home or haul water to them on pasture. Either way, we are picking up extra commitments that can’t be skipped, and spring is a naturally busy, stressful time of the year. Additionally, we drag lined our manure pit and were relieved to look at a near-empty pit. Unfortunately, we had issues getting the floating pump and flume pipe cleared up. It took almost a week and a lot of thinking, patience and work to get it running.

The sacrifices we make as farmers are sometimes hard to swallow, and it can feel like a game of saying, “It’ll be slower next week,” every week for the rest of your life. Nevertheless, knowing you get to wake up tomorrow and be immersed in something you are so passionate about and love so much is what makes it all worth it. One walk through the barn and I am reminded I am right where I need to be. It is challenging many times, but I know there is not a thing I would rather spend my life doing than being with the cows. We cannot let our fears of hardship and difficulty scare us away from our dreams, passions and purposes.

With all that being said, don’t forget June is National Dairy Month. If you can step away and put things down, go celebrate yourself and enjoy some ice cream.

Abby Fairbanks is the third-generation on her family’s farm. She works full-time with her parents, Doug and Jody, where they milk 400 cows  near Anamosa, Iowa.