Working on a family dairy farm, I saw firsthand that dairy farmers are amazing caretakers of the cows that provide fresh wholesome milk for all to enjoy. Dairy farmers are also community volunteers, crop farmers, mechanics, accountants, and family members.
When I think about a dairy farmer, I think about a person who is caring and loving, but is also able to dig in deep and fight for the things they care about so passionately. Taking care of their cows is the number one mission for dairy framers. I love the way they will work from sun up to sun down and are there at all hours of the night just to be sure that their animals are okay.
It truly takes a lot of heart to be a dairy farmer. They care so much and try so hard for something that does not always have a desirable outcome. When things get hard, they do everything that they can to make things work while their love and care for their cows never wavers. For example, they have barns to house their cattle and put in fans and curtains to keep the cows content in all weather conditions. Farmers are also dialed in closely on a cow’s diet to make sure she is getting the nutrients she needs to make wholesome milk. Out of all the things a farmer does, I think the most important is that they are literally always there for their cows no matter the time of day. If something goes wrong, the farmer is there to help.
There are a lot of things that go on in a day at the farm from fieldwork to feeding the cows to administration, but from my personal experiences of working on a family dairy farm, I learned that cows always come first, no matter what else is going on around the farm. Nothing makes me happier than working alongside people that have the same care and compassion as I do for these amazing animals.
Dairy farmers are extraordinary men and women of all ages, cultures and backgrounds. So many people have assumptions about farmers, but I’m not sure we are really letting the words sink in. The life of a dairy farmer is not just a pastime. It is a timeless livelihood. One of the biggest misconceptions that I had before I started working at a farm is the amount of time and hard work it takes to be a dairy farmer. Now I know first-hand that it takes countless hours, blood, sweat and tears to make a farm run and operate smoothly.
When I was young I was never sure what I wanted to be “when I got older,” but now I know with both my love for cattle and having dairy farmers as role models whom I look up to, that one day I aspire to be just like them. I do not just aspire to one day have the same title as a dairy farmer, but I hope to have the same work ethic, knowledge and compassion for the work I do, no matter where I am employed.