The cows that used to live on our family's dairy farm left this morning inside of tractor trailers bound for Michigan. The buildings and land will soon go up for sale as well.
For certain, ours wasn't the first small, family-owned, multi-generation farm to wither and fade away. Still, it was sad to see the trucks pull away.
It's odd to see my son at home instead of working on the farm. My dad doesn't leave for his new job, or to check on the old farm, until well after 8 a.m. I was amused to hear my son report, "that hasn't happened since 1960."
I was certainly blessed to grow up on a dairy farm and I'm grateful for the many lessons that the lifestyle provided.
Yesterday, I started a part time job on a thriving family farm located within a neighboring county. My boss, who is young, bright, and congenial, just welcomed his first daughter into the world. She is ("if she wants to be," he says) the 6th generation of the farm's owners.
Many, many family members work on the farm, running special events, making wine, tilling kale, and pruning vines. Employees are treated like family.
I enjoyed reading a sign that reminded people to "leave your troubles behind" when visiting the farm. Enjoy the company. Watch the animals. Talk with friends or make a new friend. Savor the flavors of the bounty that God provides.
That's what I remember about my childhood...working together, taking meals around the same table, and marveling at the riches of the harvest. I remember hauling until I thought my back would break, responding to animal emergencies, and working through extreme weather.
It was always fun to have visitors and to watch them take in all that the farm offered. The Farm where I work "bucked the trend" of the failing family farm and now features a beer garden, world class wines, two wedding venues, and more. We employ several professional chefs and we offer a CSA that includes raw milk, grapes, baked goods, and cheese.
It isn't my own family's farm, but I feel tremendously privileged to be able to spend time and lend a hand at a job where I feel needed and appreciated.
It's good to get a little bit of that "family farm" feeling back.
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