Flexability

 

        Today my husband had the opportunity to feed the cows.  During these winter months Paul is busy with his off farm job and my father who lives on the farm site with the animals is usually in charge of the daily chores. Currently my father is gone on a trip and so it is Paul who steps in and takes over. Paul enjoys working with the cattle and will often spend any spare moments checking on the cows and looks forward for these times where he gets to do the chores.  

        Today Paul got up and over to the farm before the sun was up. He had ahead of him a full day at work and wanted to make sure the cattle were fed and taken care of before he headed off to town.  He allowed himself a few hours to get the chores taken care of, and that should have been enough time if things went well.  There are many things that can spoil a well planed job on the farm from the animals, to the machinery, and at this time of year the weather. Today's issue involved Paul having difficulty getting the feed wagon through a gate due to ice and snow. The snow causing the loaded feed wagon to slip and approach the gate at the incorrect angle. Paul explained that he had to unhook the wagon and use the tractor to maneuver it into place then reattach it to the tractor, and not only once but twice.  A job that should have taken a few hours took twice that long.  This delay caused him to be late for his first scheduled meeting of the day. Luckily his clients are farmers themselves and know all to well the issues that can come up on the farm. 

         In the end the cattle are fed, the chores are done, and Paul is off to his day job.  And if you wound ask him if he is looking forward to doing the chores again tomorrow he would say yes with a smile.  Farm life is all about flexibility and even though there may be some frustration along the way there are so many more positives. Farming is more than just a job, it is a passion and a way of life.