Returning to the Farm — a post from 2012
Recently I made the decision to leave the corporate world of insurance to head back to the family farm. Boy, have things changed from when I left 10 years ago. Equipment, inputs, acres, employees, practices – this is no longer the farm from my younger years. Along with myself, others who had previously moved away to pursue other careers are starting to come back. What is it about farming that is bringing us all back to our futures?
When I left, I couldn’t wait to get off the farm and get to the city. Go to University, meet new people, and see the bigger and better world that I thought existed outside our farmyard and small town. Over the last 10 years I went through University, met new people, and started my climb on the corporate ladder, so to speak. As much as I thought I was on the right path, sometimes something just didn’t quite fit. It turns out; the right path was leading me right back to the same farmyard I couldn’t wait to leave 10 years prior.
As I’ve returned as more than just help for the harvest, I am realizing why something in my previous path just didn’t feel right. I love farming; the work, the long hours, seeing results, and knowing I am working toward something more than just a pay cheque every 2 weeks. Isn’t this what every career is suppose to feel like? Now, don’t get me wrong, I know farming isn’t all big bushels and high prices, and the hard times will be hard, but for each of those hard times I am willing to bet almost every farmer has been through twice as many good. This is what sets farmers apart; their determination, perseverance and at times, down right craziness to go another round.
I read an article in the Globe and Mail “Many Young People are Taking Another Look at the Family Farm” recently that explained young people are considering and moving back to the farm. It goes on to say that us young people are seeing the huge potential in agriculture despite rising debt loads, and threats such as the weather increasing in severity; we can also see that revenues are increasing. It also indicates we are coming to appreciate and respect what our parents and grandparents had been working so hard to create – so true. After reading that article, I realized it was completely right. Agriculture has undergone some major changes over the last few years, and I do not think those changes, nor the potential are going to stop anytime soon.
So today, with the wind blowing and rain falling, keeping us out of the field, I keep that in mind. While the risks associated with farming will never change, my chance to prosper in this industry has never been better. Not only do I have an opportunity to succeed, but I also have this opportunity while working with my family doing something I love (I just never realized it before). I’m not sure about all those other young people, but for me that’s reason enough to return to the farm.
