Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way: Life on a Small Farm

I would rather be in the barn.

In fact, I would rather clean my barn than clean my house. There is just something therapeutic about being in the barn. Maybe it is the quiet, the familiar smells, the routine of the chores, or simply knowing that when I walk through those barn doors, there is always someone there to greet me.

And by someone, I mean the animals.

The horses, goats, and chickens all have their own way of saying good morning. Some whinny. Some bleat. Some come running. Others simply look at you as if to say, Well, you're finally here.

Those morning greetings are one of the things I love most about farm life.

Farm Life Isn't Always Convenient

Life on a small farm isn't always easy. It certainly isn't always convenient, and it is rarely predictable.

We don't travel much because of all of our animals. When you choose to have horses, goats, chickens, and all the other responsibilities that come with farm life, you can't simply decide to leave for the weekend without making arrangements.

But the truth is, we made the choice to have these animals.

And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Our schedule is often dictated by the animals. Feeding, watering, cleaning stalls, checking fences, caring for young animals, and simply making sure everyone is healthy all have to be done, every single day.

And then there is the weather.

Living on a farm means learning to pay attention to the forecast. Especially when you're trying to make hay.

You can't just decide that today would be a good day to get the hay in. You need the right combination of sunshine, dry weather, and enough time to get everything cut, dried, baled, and put away.

And sometimes, even when everything seems to be going according to plan, something happens.

You Never Quite Know What the Day Will Bring

Recently, right in the middle of second cutting, one of our tractors blew a hose and broke down.

Of course it did.

Thankfully, we have a spare tractor. Around here, having a backup isn't necessarily a luxury. Sometimes it's what keeps you moving.

We got the hay finished just before another round of thunderstorms came through.

Phew!

That is farm life.

You make a plan, and then the weather changes.

You make another plan, and then a tractor breaks.

You get the animals taken care of, and then somebody decides they need to get into somewhere they shouldn't.

The plans change. You adjust. You keep going.

And somehow, at the end of the day, you look back and realize that you got it done.

The Reward Is Hard to Explain

There is something deeply rewarding about this way of life.

I can't really explain it.

Maybe it's the satisfaction of looking across a field that you just finished mowing. Maybe it's seeing the hay stacked and knowing that you've put away the feed that will help keep your animals and your family through another winter.

Maybe it's standing in a clean barn at the end of a long day.

Or maybe it's simply knowing that the work you're doing has a purpose.

Farm work gives you something tangible. You can see what you accomplished.

There is something satisfying about working with your hands, getting dirty, solving problems, and knowing that your efforts matter.

Growing Up on a Farm Is Different

Living on a small farm has also shaped our family and the way we raise our children.

Our kids aren't spending all of their free time sitting in front of the television or playing video games. They're outside.

They're feeding animals.

They're working with animals.

They're getting animals ready for the fair.

They've helped with harvesting hay and stacking hay. They've learned that animals need to be cared for whether you feel like doing chores that day or not.

Farm life teaches responsibility in a very practical way.

There is no snooze button when the animals are waiting for breakfast.

There is no putting off chores because you have something more interesting to do.

And there is a real sense of accomplishment when you finish a hard day's work together.

The kids may not always appreciate every chore while they're doing it, but I hope that someday they will look back and realize how much they learned from growing up this way.

The Good, the Hard, and Everything in Between

Farm life isn't a picture-perfect life.

There are muddy boots by the door. There are chores that need to be done when you're tired. There are broken machines, bad weather, long days, and times when things simply don't go according to plan.

There are days when you wonder why you have so much work to do.

But then you walk into the barn.

A horse nickers.

A goat starts yelling because apparently breakfast is three minutes late.

The chickens come running.

And somehow, you remember.

This is why.

This is home.

We Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way

There are certainly easier ways to live.

We could travel more. We could have fewer animals. We could spend our weekends doing things that don't involve hay, mud, manure, tractors, firewood, or farm chores.

But we'd be giving up something, too.

We'd be giving up the quiet mornings in the barn.

The animal greetings.

The satisfaction of getting the hay put away before the rain.

The sound of children working outside.

The feeling of looking across the farm and knowing that your family is building something together.

Farm life has its challenges, but it has also given us a way of life that we value.

It has taught us hard work, responsibility, patience, and self-reliance. It has given our children experiences that can't be learned from a screen. It has connected us to the land and to the animals we have chosen to care for.

It may not always be the easiest life.

It certainly isn't the most convenient.

But when I have a choice between being in the house or being in the barn, I'll choose the barn.

Wouldn't have it any other way.