Vacationing Farmer, an Oxymoron?

Reader Contribution by Sue Dick

So, tomorrow morning we leave on a two week roadtrip. I can’t wait to go (for all the obvious reasons) but the biggest being that once we finally pull away from here, all my preparations, stressing and work are done and what will happen will happen and I can just throw up my hands and go with fate (and hope it’s kind).

I know most farmers don’t get vacations. We’re very lucky in that my father-in-law was once a farm boy and actually enjoys coming out to re-live farm days (except we don’t threaten him with a switch, so it’s probably better than his old farm days). He spends enough time here that I know he knows the routine, and while I’m gone I really won’t worry about the care my animals are receiving. I’ll still worry about things I can’t change like weather and such, but not so much it’ll ruin my holiday.

Preparations:

Fill all waterers. Check. Wait, the 16 gallon waterer in the chicks paddock isn’t keeping a vacuum anymore and it’s all drained away an hour after I filled it, jump in the truck, head to the feed store, get another, come back and set it up. Check

Check bales for both cattle feeding groups (we are in drought and we’ve been feeding all year as our pasture is as green as our driveway right now). *sigh* both groups need new bales and I don’t drive the tractor (well enough to manoeuver through gates and animals carrying a 1,700 lb bale). File away for when the husband gets home from work (before packing. after supper. before loading the car up).

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