Stuck in the 9 to 5 grind yet find yourself dreaming about a simpler life, clad with dirt-caked blue jeans and a wheat thistle pursed between your lips? Ah, yes, the farm life is a romantic idea, indeed. For many, working on a farm or ranch is the ultimate romantic lifestyle. However, the farm life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Rather, working on farm land is hard work that requires a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears.
Think you have what it takes to sweat and toil on the farms of America? Read this first and then decide.
Are You Sure?
Before you quit your job and buy those overalls you’ve had your eye on, think about whether or not the farm life is right for you? Are you attached to your cell phone? Does the idea of wading in cattle droppings and mud make you want to cry on the inside? Are you not really a morning person? If you answered yes to any of these questions, please stop for a second and think. Farm life is hard work. The benefits of reaping what you sow are absolutely rewarding, but it takes quite a bit of work to get to that point.
What Kind of Farming
Farming can often be broken down into more categories than just one, and each time of farming entails an entirely different skill set. For example, as a cattle farmer, one has to closely monitor livestock, ensuring that their well-being is intact and that the ranch or farm in question is always accommodating to their needs.
Start Small
Find a subsistence farming program online that allows you to connect with other farms across the country. With these online databases, you are able to choose what kind of farm you stay at and for how long. Typically, these experiences are set for two to six months.
Enjoy the Benefits
A life of farming is indeed difficult, but entirely rewarding. Enjoy the fruits that you sow on whatever farm land you so choose.
