Thank a Farmer

On a very hot and windy Sunday afternoon I find myself traveling to Plymouth, Nebraska to meet the Epps. They are a 4th generation, faith-based farm family and I came to visit with the youngest of the hierarchy to fulfill my curiosity about today's farmer. As I travel up the gravel driveway with dust blowing across the road, my childhood passes before my eyes and memories of being raised at our family farm in Scribner, Nebraska come flooding to the forefront of my mind. It has been a "minute" since I have been on a farm, and suddenly it feels like yesterday when I see tractors and trucks lining the drive, silos filled with grain, and pastures with livestock in the distance.

I am greeted by Jeremy, wife Chevis, and future farmer 7-month-old Briar. Jeremy and his two brothers, Justin and Jason, rent 400 acres of cropland and raise 300 cow calf pairs, plus sheep and lambs. If land prices are ever within their reach, their dream is to be able to buy farmland for the future of the family. They are continuously looking for more ground to rent until that opportunity arises. For now, Jason is the agronomy manager for the local farmers cooperative, and Justin and Jeremy work full time for a local farmer. They custom plant and harvest 2500-3000 acres of corn and soybeans, and apply anhydrous ammonia to another 5000 acres. They also bale 2000 acres of hay land and they are self taught mechanics, welders, builders, and veterinarians. Sometimes they put in 70 to 80 hours per week and the work ethic of these young farmers is unbelievable.

I asked Jeremy, and Justin when he joined us, what they want people to know about farmers. Their response was to tell me how much they care for their animals, that they are humane and loving, and that they would do anything to help them. Sometimes when they are "calving", they spend the entire night helping to pull calves and making sure they are all well cared for. One calf actually spent the night in their bathtub in order to help it survive.

As my day progressed, I found myself with Justin out in a corn field riding in the cab of a tractor that was pulling a grain cart. They were in the midst of harvesting and we rode side by side with the combine that was picking the corn and dumping it directly into the cart. Even with the air-conditioned cab it was hot, dusty, and extremely bumpy as we drove over rows of picked corn. He mentioned that this field probably wouldn't make them any money this year as it is non-irrigated and the weather has been very dry. After the rent, cost of seed, and fertilizer they might not show a profit. So, I asked him how he handles the stress of farming and he said, "I couldn't do this without my faith. There are too many unknowns and it is a hard path to walk alone".

Chevis calls herself "the mediocre farm wife", but there is nothing mediocre about her. She has a heart that is too big for her body, and her incredible faith and love for her farm family is so abundant that you can feel it when you are around her. She has embraced her role as "farm wife" and takes pride in preparing field meals that could be served in a restaurant. As she reaches to lovingly brush Jeremy's hair from his brow, she gets tears in her eyes when she talks about how hard he works on the farm. She is the supportive link in this family. She loves to dress up for the cows, and is playful in her daily chores. Every part of her shows how grateful she is for this life she has. She is a soft but tough, courageous woman who has reinvented herself in her three years on the farm. A survivor of an assault in her past has lead her to be the Victim Assistance Advocate for the Beatrice police department where she does her job with grace.

They all remind me that farming is a 24-hour-a-day job and the biggest challenge is Mother Nature. The non-irrigated land lives or dies by the weather. Sometimes in the winter the roads are closed and they are forced to walk miles in order to fix fences and break the ice off of the water tanks for the animals. Their dedication to the love of God, livestock, and the land is admirable. They are the true "Heart" of the Heartland and they have my utmost respect and appreciation.

I seem to have forgotten, or just have taken for granted, the food on my table. Without farmers, I wouldn't be eating dinner tonight and neither would you. So first, thank God, and then thank a farmer.

Remember to be grateful.......for farmers...

Until we talk again....

*All photos from Chevis Epp