By nature I am either totally optimistic or wholly pessimistic. That can be a lethal combination in that sometimes I find myself running headlong into something because I'm just really excited about it and then crashing and burning because it doesn't initially go as I had hoped. One of those pessimistic question that pops into my head from time to time on the farm is, "Should I quit the farm?" On the surface this is just one of those questions of doubt that are part of my flawed nature, but I do think there is value in sometimes pulling back and taking time to honestly examine the question. On today's episode I'm going to talk about some of the very practical reasons that I think I should quit farming, and then a few emotionally romantic reasons why I'm probably going to continue this farming journey.Some of my very practical reasons for quitting the farm and chalking it up to a stressful life lessons include money, time, stress, and skill. These are all very important things to think about in any business, but that doesn't make them deal breakers ... I mean for the past five years we have made the farm go and it is definitely more than a hobby! So, instead of asking the question, "Should I quit farming?" ... I try to force myself to answer the question, "Why should we keep the farm going and growing?" The answers to those questions are often less about finances, but sometimes are equally as convincing. How do you keep your work going through the doubts?
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I think we all go through more and more but when I think about it I'm reminded of the economy and tales of the Great Depression. Would you and your family be better able to survive and be comfortable if you have the farm? Would people that don't have the farm and don't know how to raise their own food be able to survive? I think not. I want my family to know the things that I've learned and pass it on in the event the depression returns. I want my family to be able to eat and provide for themselves. Farmers can do this when so many won't be able to!!
ReplyDeleteJust my two cents!
Rita
Rita … Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts! I agree about being able to pass on the skills and knowledge from the farm. I’m sure that even if our children decide to do something other than farming that they will take a lot of lessons away from the farm!
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