01/06/2022
You want to farm? Keep animals? Fresh eggs, and pastured meat, your own nourishment? You want to grow your own food?
I’m here to say thank a farmer, who currently is the one growing your nourishment now. Because behind the dream, behind all the wants, is immense sacrifice. Body and mind breaking physical labour. It will grind you down and spit you out. Machines and tractors help, but the fact that your body is tied to your land remains.
If you farm now, keep animals now, grow food now, I thank you. Because I know the effort you put forth everyday to simply do the morning and evening chores. Everyday those basics are there water, feed, and shelter. Once our animals have that, we get our mornings nourishment, but only after the animals have been fed.
Rain, sleet, snow, or sunshine, we are outside tending to the lands or animals we keep. The soles of our boots will never last more than a few seasons , and no fitness app can track the sheer amount of exertion our bodies put forth day after day.
Broken fingers, frozen fingers, deep bruises, aches and pains that intensify in the cold. Burning muscles and strengthening cores hide under layers and layers of protection from the elements. Winter is by far the hardest time to farm.
You see your animals struggling, preserving heat, moving little. You have to dig your way to them each day, the ache in your shoulders and arms reminds you this is a task you’ve grown to dread but yet your body recognizes as daily movement needed for health. So you press on. You dig deeper.
If you want to farm, ask a farmer in winter how they feel about the lifestyle they live. You may get more honest words than you bargained for. But at least you will be prepared.
The highlight reel is bu****it. It’s literally blood sweat and tears behind this eye candy and I wouldn’t live my life any other way.
(Stolen from Instagram)