We worked pairs to send to grass and I had help with my kids so they came at the end.
They got in on just enough to see it was fun.
I’ve had help with them on this big day before, while we work the largest group, because it’s such a long day. It’s loud, dusty, moves quickly and it’s hard, harder than usual, to help the kids when they need something. There also isn’t a great spot for them to play by us without risking getting hurt or being in the way that slows progress.
When I went to get them at the end of the day, they got in on finishing the cows and enough calves that it still seemed “fun.”
Then, I had a new realization.
I’m glad that they get in on more than just the fun.
Perhaps it was their ages, but while I was holding one of them watching the calves come up, I thought, “what a privilege it’s been that they’ve seen our days through the lens of work rather than entertainment.”
Our days are fun, but they’re also hard.
Their perspective on what a life in agriculture really looks like includes the days that have fun sprinkled amidst loss, days where the work continues long after the fun has worn off, and responsibilities that require attention regardless of our other plans.
They’ve been able to see this place and this life for what it really is. Not simply the highlights.
It was a weight off my shoulders to realize this.
I’m not worried that if they choose this life as an adult, that it will be different than they imagined. They’ll know exactly what to expect. 🤍
