The Farmer’s Daughter
It’s who I am. The farmer’s daughter. I carry that title proudly. It was a childhood of discipline, of God and church, of right over wrong, of feeding animals before Mom fed us, of fresh air and sunshine all day long.
I was blessed with a good dad (and mom). Not perfect by any stretch, but good and decent. Raised with a good work ethic and taught respect. I learned plenty from Mom, but it was Dad whose love of the land and the creatures of it that I absorbed into my bones.
He talked to each individual cow, roughly 30 of them, every morning and night at milking time like they were pets, not a means to an income. I admit, as a teenager, I thought it was ridiculous. But go with me on a hike these days, and I will talk to every deer I see. And I smile, knowing that’s Dad alive inside me.
Sunday afternoons were for car rides, driving down dirt roads to see how all the other farmers’ crops were doing. It was those drives that sowed the love of the land in my heart even more, just as Dad had sown wheat and corn seed into the fertile soil every year.
He worked hard, raised a family, and still drove tractors well into his eighties after retiring and turning the farm over to my brother. Even after that, the Sunday car rides continued for years until mobility issues ended it.
Father’s Day to me? Remembering the gentle, firm love I was raised with. The starry starry skies that you get miles away from the city lights, the scores of baby calves I bottle-fed and played with, along with endless numbers of cats and kittens and farm dogs through the years.
But more than that, I remember the twinkle in his eyes and his soft chuckle when he would tell an old story. I remember his easy-going nature even when life was hard, and his positive outlook always, always. I worried in the early months after he passed that I might forget that part, so I had it tattooed on my arm.
Now I know I could never forget. Because I will always be his, The Farmer’s Daughter.
Because Love And Memories Matter!
Your piece serves as such a powerful and encouraging reminder to embrace and honor the foundational experiences that have shaped us. In a world that often encourages us to constantly reinvent ourselves, your message gently nudges us to appreciate the roots from which we've grown. The pride you carry in being "The Farmer's Daughter" is palpable and inspiring. It’s not about being stuck in the past, but about recognizing the strength, discipline, and love that were sown into your being, allowing you to flourish. Thank you for sharing such a personal and uplifting story that encourages us all to look back at our own origins with appreciation and to see how those early influences continue to empower us in our present lives. 🩵
What a lovely tribute highlighting how your dad influenced who you are. Thanks for sharing this, Nancy